Plasma Prepares $2B Mainnet Beta Launch with Stablecoin Focus

Plasma, a Layer 1 blockchain supported by Bitfinex and designed around stablecoin payments, has announced that its long-awaited mainnet beta will go live on September 25. The network is launching with more than $2 billion in total value locked and over 100 decentralized finance integrations, including well-known protocols such as Aave, Ethena, Fluid, and Euler. Alongside the blockchain, its native token, XPL, will also make its debut.

According to project details, Plasma is expected to rank as the eighth-largest chain by stablecoin liquidity on its first day. This positioning has been supported by a series of funding efforts, including a $1 billion deposit campaign earlier in the summer, a $50 million oversubscribed public token sale, and a Binance Earn on-chain product that reached a $1 billion subscription limit.

Aiming to become a global stablecoin rail

Plasma’s development has centered on establishing itself as a primary infrastructure for stablecoin payments in everyday finance. The blockchain intends to power functions such as payments, foreign exchange, card services, and on- and off-ramp solutions. At launch, the project plans to provide deep liquidity for USDT and claims to offer the lowest borrowing rates for the stablecoin across the industry.

Its collaboration with Binance has been highlighted as instrumental in seeding liquidity prior to mainnet release, while its broad roster of integrated protocols is aimed at ensuring developers and users have immediate access to trading, savings, and payments options. From day one, the network will allow USDT transfers with zero fees using authorization-based transactions, supported by its proprietary PlasmaBFT consensus mechanism.

Months of buildup and strong token demand

The upcoming mainnet release follows months of preparation and significant investor interest. Plasma reported raising $373 million in commitments during a 10-day oversubscribed token sale held in July. Demand was largely driven by the project’s promise to subsidize zero-fee USDT transfers and expand stablecoin markets at the protocol level.

The project’s native token, XPL, has also drawn attention in pre-market trading. Last month, its valuation exceeded a fully diluted figure of $4.5 billion, while recent pricing on trading platforms such as Hyperliquid placed the token at $0.69, suggesting a fully diluted valuation of around $6.9 billion ahead of the official launch.

Competitive environment in stablecoin networks

Plasma is entering a market dominated by established networks such as Tron and Ethereum. Tron recently adjusted its fee structure by cutting transaction costs by 60 percent, in an effort to strengthen its position as a leading stablecoin network. At the same time, Ethereum has reached a record $166 billion in stablecoin supply, with more than half represented by $87.8 billion in Tether’s USDT.

Plasma leadership acknowledged the competition, noting that Tron’s fee reduction aligned with its role as the second-largest network for stablecoin liquidity. However, they also expressed the view that long-term adoption would not be driven by fees alone. Instead, Plasma intends to differentiate itself by combining zero-fee stablecoin transfers with features such as local market penetration, institutional distribution, and partnerships with key payment providers and fintech companies. Executives emphasized that sustainable momentum would depend on integrations with partners and regional markets rather than cost reductions alone.

Positioning for growth

With its forthcoming launch, Plasma is aiming to capture a share of the rapidly expanding stablecoin ecosystem by offering a scalable, low-cost, and feature-rich alternative. Backed by Bitfinex and strengthened by early liquidity and institutional engagement, the project is positioning itself as a contender in the emerging category of “stablechains.” Whether it can maintain momentum against larger rivals will depend on the success of its integrations and its ability to build long-term adoption across both institutional and retail markets.