Meta Revives Stablecoin Plans Amid Record AI Spending

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is re-entering the cryptocurrency arena with a renewed focus on stablecoins. Four years after the collapse of its Libra project, the company is quietly preparing to bring stablecoin payments to its platforms in the second half of 2026.

The approach this time around is more measured, with no proprietary coin and no grand global currency ambitions. Instead, Meta will focus on dollar-pegged stablecoins powered by third-party partners like Stripe. This partnership-led approach meets the maturing regulations and adoption of stablecoins in the market.

Meta's massive bet on artificial intelligence (AI) is driving its capital expenditure forecast to between $125 billion and $145 billion this year, with AI infrastructure accounting for almost all of this increase. The company's metaverse division has incurred losses of over $80 billion since 2020, but Meta sees significant unrealized income opportunities in payments.