January 24, 2026
Finance

Uber’s CEO Highlights Practical Edge of Stablecoins Over Bitcoin for Global Transactions

Dara Khosrowshahi emphasizes stablecoins’ potential to streamline cross-border payments amid ongoing cryptocurrency considerations

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Summary

Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has articulated a nuanced stance on cryptocurrency, recognizing Bitcoin as a proven asset while advocating for stablecoins as a more practical tool for global financial operations. Since expressing interest in cryptocurrency payments, Uber continues to evaluate stablecoins as a mechanism to improve cost efficiency in international money transfers without yet implementing such options.

Key Points

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recognizes Bitcoin as an established cryptocurrency but highlights stablecoins as more practical for global payments.
Uber is currently in the study phase of potentially integrating stablecoins for cross-border transactions to reduce costs.
The company was an early participant in the Diem Association, reflecting historical interest in stablecoin initiatives.
Despite expressed intentions to accept cryptocurrency payments, Uber has not yet implemented these options as of mid-2025.

Dara Khosrowshahi, the Chief Executive Officer of Uber Technologies Inc., has articulated a strategic perspective on the company’s engagement with cryptocurrencies, emphasizing their practicality over their role as stores of value. At the Bloomberg Technology Summit held in San Francisco on June 6, 2025, Khosrowshahi acknowledged Bitcoin as a “proven commodity,” signaling its established status in the cryptocurrency space. However, he underscored that the most valuable aspect of cryptocurrencies lies in their practical applications, particularly stablecoins, which he believes hold promise for global enterprises.

During his remarks, Khosrowshahi highlighted stablecoins as a key innovation for companies operating across international markets. He described stablecoins as providing a mechanism to “essentially reduce costs” related to the global movement of money, indicating potential efficiency gains for businesses like Uber. The CEO noted that the company was actively exploring stablecoin integration for cross-border payments, referring to this exploration as a “study phase” and characterizing the prospect as “super interesting.”

This standpoint aligns with Uber’s previous cryptographic initiatives. Back in 2019, Uber became an early participant in the Diem Association, initially known as Libra, which aimed to establish a stablecoin-backed payment system under Meta Platforms Inc. Though the project eventually ceased operations, Uber’s involvement demonstrated early recognition of stablecoins’ potential in the payments ecosystem.

Khosrowshahi’s engagement with cryptocurrencies predates the 2025 summit remarks. In 2021, he conveyed a willingness to investigate Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for transactional use in interviews with CNBC. Further reinforcing this openness, in 2022 he asserted that Uber was “absolutely” planning to accept cryptocurrencies as payment options in the future. Despite these public statements, seven months beyond his latest comments, Uber has yet to implement cryptocurrency acceptance within its payment frameworks.

The market context surrounding cryptocurrencies and stablecoins supports these strategic deliberations. A 2025 study conducted by Grayscale reported that stablecoins such as USD Coin (USDC) were facilitating digital transactions totaling approximately $800 billion monthly, highlighting their growing importance as alternatives to traditional payment networks like Visa Inc.

The financial markets have responded modestly to this evolving narrative. As of the time of writing, Bitcoin (BTC) traded at roughly $89,963.99, reflecting a 0.71% gain in the last day based on data from Benzinga Pro. Uber’s stock similarly showed marginal positive movement, rising 0.22% in after-hours trading after closing up 0.65% at $84.26 during regular trading sessions on Wednesday. Year-to-date, shares of Uber have climbed more than 3%. However, according to Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, Uber’s price trend remains subdued across short, medium, and long-term horizons, with Growth identified as its most robust metric.

Khosrowshahi’s remarks represent a careful balance between recognizing cryptocurrency innovations and exercising pragmatic caution regarding their application. His emphasis on stablecoins reflects an awareness of the operational benefits they might offer, especially for multinational firms seeking cost-effective payment solutions. Whether Uber’s continued experimentation with cryptocurrencies translates into actual payment features remains to be seen, but the CEO’s statements indicate a commitment to monitoring and integrating blockchain-based financial mechanisms where practical.

Risks
  • Uber has yet to launch cryptocurrency payment options, indicating potential delays or strategic reconsiderations.
  • The stability and regulatory landscape for stablecoins remain uncertain, posing operational risks.
  • Market volatility of cryptocurrencies could affect their adoption and integration by companies like Uber.
  • Technological and consumer acceptance challenges may impede the practical deployment of stablecoin payments.
Disclosure
Education only / not financial advice
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