Agora Aims to Reduce Payment Business Expenses Through Stablecoin

Now, including entrepreneurs and the heir of VanEck, Nick van Eck, Agora has shifted its primary focus from the decentralized market to a more practical solution: using stablecoins for enterprise payment systems. Instead of being just a cryptocurrency-native platform, the project allocates significant resources to solving real problems faced by traditional corporations—payroll management, B2B transactions, and international fund transfers filled with administrative burdens.

This change in direction does not mean that DeFi has become unimportant. Agora continues to experience organic growth in the decentralized space, with a reported 60% increase in total value locked (TVL) over the past few weeks due to new DeFi launches. But the bigger vision goes beyond that—the platform is now focused on building an ecosystem that is understood and trusted by corporate players.

From DeFi to Enterprise Adoption: Nick van Eck’s New Strategy

van Eck’s message is clear: stablecoins will have deeper penetration into the traditional industry, but the process will not be quick. Organized businesses face three main hurdles—the lack of reliable infrastructure, the absence of a clear regulatory framework, and most importantly, limited understanding of stablecoin mechanics.

“In the crypto world, if knowledge about stablecoins is at 100%, the understanding in the traditional industry is only at level 5,” van Eck said. This significant education gap sets a timeline for mainstream adoption—years, not months.

Agora has launched its own AUSD stablecoin, backed by US dollar reserves, and also offers a stablecoin-as-a-service platform for other crypto projects wanting to create their own branded tokens. But this is not the main strategy. According to van Eck, a closed-loop ecosystem is necessary for the proprietary stablecoin to work—without it, it’s more practical to use widely accepted stablecoins in the industry.

How Multinational Companies Can Save on Cross-Border Payments

The real opportunity lies in reorganizing international payment systems. Most corporate payment setups today use pre-funded structures and involve many intermediaries, resulting in high transaction costs and prolonged settlement times. Stablecoins offer a direct solution to this problem.

If a multinational corporation can save 1% on gross revenue through a more efficient cross-border payment system, this could translate into a 5% or higher improvement in EBITDA—a significant financial impact for shareholder value. That’s why early adopters are expected to be large international companies with extensive vendor networks across different countries.

The Landscape of Corporate-Controlled Blockchain Networks

As the stablecoin market grows, the competitive dynamics are not like those of the traditional crypto industry. van Eck expects that corporate-led blockchain platforms—such as Circle’s Arc, Coinbase’s Base, and Stripe’s Tempo—will become dominant infrastructure layers for enterprise payments.

These projects have a clear advantage: direct connections to existing corporate relationships, institutional credibility, and built-in payment rails familiar to businesses. Their competitors are not each other, but open blockchain networks primarily used by crypto-native users.

“We will see consolidation in some networks,” van Eck said. “Major corporations will bring their resources, technical expertise, and distribution networks. Competition is not always about technology—it’s about who has the strongest institutional backing.”

Agora’s Ambition: Becoming a Top-Five Global Stablecoin Player

Amid this competitive landscape, Agora has clarity on its positioning. The platform aims to be among the top five global stablecoin issuers within the next few years, but not through the most advanced technology or the biggest marketing budget.

The strategy is more fundamental: building tools and infrastructure that function like traditional banking systems, but with the transparency and efficiency of blockchain. Simply put, clients should not think of “crypto”—they should experience it as a better, faster, and lower-cost way to transfer money.

The next challenge is to develop a sufficient enterprise client base while continuously adapting to the evolving regulatory environment. CoinDesk’s Consensus Hong Kong conference this coming month is one of the opportunities to showcase the project to senior corporate executives actively seeking payment innovation.