Wall Street is quietly moving into stablecoins, and VanEck Ventures’ managing partner Juan C. Lopez says the shift is more strategic than speculative. In a recent interview Lopez breaks down this year’s most active deals, why many traditional finance players still misunderstand stablecoins, and how his prior work at Circle Ventures shapes his investment playbook.
Lopez highlights three drivers behind the rush: rising demand from corporate treasuries for programmable, instant settlement; banks and asset managers seeking alternative cash instruments; and a growing ecosystem of compliance-first stablecoin infrastructure providers. He views recent deals as evidence that institutions are not chasing price rallies but building payment rails and treasury tools around dollar-pegged tokens.
A recurring theme Lopez raises is that conventional finance often focuses on volatility and retail trading — missing the practical use cases stablecoins can serve inside enterprise operations. That creates opportunities for startups that prioritize regulatory compliance, transparency, and auditability over purely speculative features. Lopez says his Circle Ventures experience gave him hands-on knowledge of token issuance, custody relationships, and how regulated entities approach partnerships — all factors he now applies when vetting investments.
For founders and investors, the implications are clear: expect more funding for infrastructure, compliance tooling, and treasury integrations rather than consumer-facing token apps. Banks entering the space will push for stricter custody arrangements and clearer operational controls, benefiting startups that can meet institutional risk standards.
Risk considerations remain important. Stablecoins face regulatory scrutiny in several jurisdictions, and operational or reserve-management failures can erode trust quickly. Investors and corporate treasuries should weigh counterparty, liquidity, and compliance risks before committing capital.
Takeaways: institutional adoption of stablecoins is shifting deal flow toward infrastructure and treasury use-cases; regulatory clarity and strong custody practices will be decisive; and investors with direct experience in regulated stablecoin markets have an edge.
Source: Decrypt. Read the original coverage for full details.