Why are cross-border payments still slow and expensive in 2026?

I’ve been digging into cross-border payments lately, and honestly… it feels wild that we’re still okay with this system.

Western Union, Wise, PayPal all solid brands but transfers still take T+1 or more, fees hit 6–8%, and transparency is basically nonexistent.

Meanwhile, stablecoins are already moving trillions globally at near-zero cost.
So here’s the real question: If the tech exists, why hasn’t anyone built a truly user-friendly, compliant, everyday payments app on top of it?

No crypto complexity for users
No private keys panic
No “sorry, transaction failed” with no recourse

Just instant transfers, bill payments, merchant acceptance, and proper account recovery but powered by modern rails instead of legacy banking infra.

I’m working on a project in this space (ready to launch in couple of weeks), and I’d genuinely love to hear from this community:

What’s your biggest frustration with cross-border payments today?

Would you trust a stablecoin-powered app if it felt like a normal wallet/bank app?

What would stop you from using one?

Not pitching just trying to understand what people actually want before building blindly.

Would love your honest thoughts. 🙏