Yesterday @coinbase and @shopify announced “Pay with @USDC
Today the @WSJ reported that Walmart and Amazon are exploring their own stablecoins.
Here’s how stablecoins could completely reinvent loyalty programs and why every major brand will follow 🧵
1/ Stablecoins are on track to replace traditional payment rails.
They’re cheaper, faster, and programmable compared to Visa or ACH.
But only a few stablecoins (like USDC and USDT) will win broad liquidity and acceptance.
Most businesses won't compete directly with them, and they probably shouldn't.
2/Instead, smart brands may pair their own branded coins with USDC under the hood.
Think: WalmartCoin paired with USDC, but wrapped in Walmart’s UX, rewards, and perks.
This unlocks a fundamentally better loyalty model than today’s siloed point systems.
Points are closed, hard to use, and expire. Tokens are open, liquid, and programmable.
3/ For customers, loyalty becomes an investible relationship in your favorite brands and merchants
Holding branded tokens can unlock status, discounts, and exclusive access:
Holds $100+? Gets 5% off groceries.
Stakes $250? Free 2-day delivery.
Stakes $500? Gold tier with early Black Friday access.
The more you hold/stake, the more you get.
4/For businesses, this creates a new flywheel: loyalty = float.
When customers hold/stake your coin, you get capital to earn yield and fund rewards.
It also cuts out card networks and payment middlemen.
Paying in WalmartCoin? No interchange fee.
5/ Over time, this evolves into a networked loyalty economy.
Coalition coins (like a $TRAVEL coin) could span airlines, hotels, and brands. Think cross-app rewards and shared perks. @blackbird_xyz is already doing this with restaurants.
Customers will start to expect this: wallets that optimize spend, rewards, and perks across tokens.
Loyalty gets simpler, smarter, and more valuable as @packyM explained 👇
6/ Closed systems will feel outdated, just like paper coupons did in the age of apps.
Brands that don't evolve will lose attention, spend, and share of wallet.
The opportunity isn’t just “launch a stablecoin”, it’s to rewire how loyalty, payments, and customer relationships work.
Branded stablecoins are the bridge from points to programmable money.
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