Crypto vs traditional finance rails: which is better for cross-border payments?

Crypto rails enable faster, cheaper, and sometimes permissionless cross-border payments, particularly in underbanked or high-friction corridors. However, they often face regulatory risk, volatility, and lower institutional trust. Traditional finance offers stability, legal recourse, and widespread infrastructure, but at the cost of slower transfers and higher fees. For rapid, low-cost transfers, crypto leads; for reliability and compliance, traditional rails prevail.