Data released on October 8, 2026, by crypto payment gateway NOWPayments shows that Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and eCommerce companies now account for 55.54% of classified business partners on its platform, up from 48.26% during the same period in 2025. The shift indicates that digital enterprises are increasingly deploying stablecoins as core operational infrastructure for recurring billing, payouts, and settlement, rather than relying on them purely for speculative trading.
Shift Toward Operational Use Cases
Between January 16 and July 16, 2026, SaaS and web services grew to 27.78% of classified partners on the platform, marking a 12.20 percentage point increase from 15.58% recorded in 2025. eCommerce Marketplaces recorded a 27.76% share in 2026, down from 32.68% in 2025. This closed the gap between the two sectors to just 0.02 percentage points.
Together, the SaaS and eCommerce sectors expanded their combined partner share by 7.28 percentage points, representing a 15.08% year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, Trading platforms slipped from 14.07% in 2025 to 13.15% in 2026, falling into third place. Among other sectors, Gambling and iGaming rose from 6.20% to 6.87%, Adult Platforms increased from 4.99% to 5.89%, Financial Services dropped from 9.00% to 6.35%, Charity fell from 2.27% to 1.40%, and TGE/Presale declined from 2.12% to 1.35%.
Network Usage Varies by Business Model
Transaction data from successful payments demonstrates that network choices differ significantly depending on the business model. USDT on TRON (USDT TRC20) represented 54.58% of successful payments within eCommerce marketplaces. In contrast, USDT TRC20 accounted for 12.04% of payments in Trading and 9.60% in SaaS and web services.
Within the analyzed dataset, USDT TRC20 was approximately 4.5 times more prominent in eCommerce than in Trading, and 5.7 times more prominent than in SaaS. Across other categories, USDT TRC20 captured 4.76% in Gambling and iGaming, 1.85% in Financial Services, 1.49% in Other, and 0.60% in Charity, while recording a 0% share in Adult Platforms and TGE/Presale. Network choices remain tied to specific operating environments, even as overall ecosystem activity grows across networks like TRON and major asset issuer rails.
Key Takeaways
- SaaS and eCommerce dominance: The combined market share of SaaS and eCommerce partners reached 55.54% in 2026.
- SaaS market expansion: SaaS and web services rose 12.20 percentage points to 27.78%, nearly equaling eCommerce at 27.76%.
- TRON network usage: USDT on TRON comprised 54.58% of successful eCommerce transactions, but only 9.60% of SaaS transactions.
- Trading sector decline: Trading dropped from 14.07% to 13.15% of classified platform partners.
Why It Matters
The NOWPayments data underscores a transition in how digital enterprises utilize stablecoins, moving beyond trading liquidity toward back-office operational tasks. By embedding stablecoins into recurring subscriptions, marketplace payouts, and financial reconciliation, businesses avoid traditional cross-border banking friction. As adoption matures, companies will need to select specific blockchain networks based on transaction mechanics and user preferences rather than applying uniform payment setups across different industries.
