In 2026, Plasma has emerged as a specialized Layer 1 blockchain engineered specifically for stablecoin payments and financial infrastructure. Backed by industry leaders like Tether and Peter Thiel, the network prioritizes "boring" dependability over typical crypto hype, focusing on moving digital dollars without friction.
Key Financial Features in 2026
Zero-Fee USDT Transfers: Plasma uses a protocol-level paymaster system to allow users to send USDT without holding the native XPL token for gas.
Plasma One Neobank: A consumer-facing app allowing users to spend USDT via physical and virtual Visa cards in over 150 countries while earning up to 10% yield on-chain.
Institutional Security: The network uses PlasmaBFT for sub-second finality and anchors its state roots to Bitcoin for maximum settlement truth.
DeFi Integration: In January 2026, Plasma integrated NEAR Intents to facilitate large-volume cross-chain settlements across 25+ blockchains.
The XPL Token
The native XPL token secures the network through staking and provides governance rights. It has a fixed supply of 10 billion tokens, with 40% allocated to validators and rewards. While basic USDT transfers are free, XPL is used to fund more complex smart contract executions.
