2026-01-12 22:36:58

Market Structure Debate: The Future of Stablecoin Rewards

As the discussion around market structure evolution heats up, a key proposal is gaining traction - fundamentally rethinking how rewards work in the stablecoin ecosystem.

The idea being floated: only permit rewards when stablecoins are actively deployed for payments. Rather than passive holding incentives, this mirrors a "cashback-at-point-of-transaction" model.

The thinking behind it is straightforward - align incentive structures with actual utility. Instead of rewarding idle positions, you're creating economic reasons for people to use stablecoins for what they were designed for: payment and settlement.

This represents a shift from traditional reward mechanics where benefits accumulate regardless of usage. The new framework essentially says: show us you're using it, then earn returns.

It's still being debated, but the broader pattern is clear - market participants are pushing for reward structures that drive real economic activity rather than passive extraction.

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LiquidityLarry

· 12h ago

Are the days of making money while lying down coming to an end? You have to actually use it to earn rebates, and this logic isn't wrong... it's just that it might discourage a bunch of "crypto traders" haha

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ZenChainWalker

· 12h ago

To be honest, I think it's a bit difficult to implement this logic of only rewarding for trading... There aren't many people actually paying with stablecoins in the first place, wouldn't this discourage more participation?

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MidsommarWallet

· 12h ago

Wait, do stablecoins only make money when used? So the USDC I hoard is just free? I can't quite understand this logic; it feels like you're again taking advantage of retail investors.

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MemeCoinSavant

· 12h ago

so basically they're finally asking ppl to actually USE the thing instead of just sitting on it like some degenerate yield farmer... based ngl

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StablecoinSkeptic

· 12h ago

Basically, they just don't want us to make money lying down. They only give rewards if you actually use it. The logic makes sense, but when it comes to execution, who will verify whether you're truly using it or just pretending...

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BankruptcyArtist

· 12h ago

Haha, finally someone remembers what stablecoins are for... the days of making money while lying down are coming to an end.

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SatoshiHeir

· 12h ago

It should be pointed out that this "trade-as-mining" logic was already practiced by the community in 2017. According to on-chain data, the actual adoption rate of payment scenarios has always been below 5%. Laughs, it's just another romantic illusion about Satoshi Nakamoto's payment vision.

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