What to Know
- Visa has launched USDC stablecoin settlement in the US, allowing banks to settle transactions on blockchain while keeping card payments unchanged.
- Cross River Bank and Lead Bank are the first participants, using USDC on the Solana blockchain for faster, seven-day settlement.
- Visa plans to expand stablecoin settlement to more US partners through 2026 as demand grows.
Visa is bringing stablecoin settlement to the US. The company said US banks can now settle transactions with Visa using Circle’s USDC, with early pilots already live on the Solana blockchain.
The move allows Visa’s issuer and acquirer partners to settle their payments in USDC while keeping the consumer-facing card experience unchanged. For banks and fintechs, the change happens behind the scenes, where settlement becomes faster, more predictable, and available seven days a week.
Stablecoin Settlement Comes to the US
Visa said the US rollout builds on its earlier stablecoin settlement pilots launched outside the country. According to their statement, its stablecoin settlement program has already reached a $3.5 billion annualized run rate as of Nov. 30.
By using USDC, Visa aims to give financial institutions near-instant funds movement, reduce delays caused by weekends and holidays, and improve how they manage liquidity. Traditional settlement systems often operate only during business days, which can leave funds locked up for hours or even days while stablecoins can move at any time.
“Visa is expanding stablecoin settlement because our banking partners are not only asking about it they’re preparing to use it,” said Rubail Birwadker, Visa’s Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships. He added that banks are increasingly looking for faster settlement options that fit into their existing treasury operations while still meeting security and compliance standards.
First Banks Live on Solana
Cross River Bank and Lead Bank are the first US institutions to take part in the program. Cross River Bank, which provides banking infrastructure to fintech and crypto companies, said demand for stablecoins is growing quickly. “Fintech and crypto innovators increasingly ask us to bring stablecoins into their existing product suite,” said Gilles Gade, Founder and CEO of Cross River. He described a future where traditional payment networks and blockchain systems work together on a single platform.
Visa’s Head of Crypto, Cuy Sheffield, highlighted the significance of the pilot. “You have 2 banks in the U.S. who are now starting to settle their transactions in USDC on Solana. We’re really excited to grow the momentum we have with stablecoins,” he said. Visa expects to expand access to more US banks and partners through 2026.
Visa said it sees stablecoins moving from experimental tools to practical settlement rails for banks and treasury teams. By embedding stablecoin settlement directly into its network, the company is positioning them as one of the main options for managing liquidity and shortening settlement cycles.
Advisory Services Strategy
Alongside the settlement launch, Visa Consulting & Analytics introduced a Stablecoins Advisory Practice. The program is designed to help banks and businesses understand where stablecoins fit into their operations, from payments to treasury management. VyStar Credit Union and Pathward are early participants.
Visa has also deepened its relationship with Circle. The payments company is serving as a design partner for Circle’s upcoming Arc blockchain and plans to support Arc for USDC settlement, including operating a validator node once the network goes live. Visa tried out USDC settlement for the first time in 2021 and has been pilot testing with clients in Africa, Latin America and Asia. In 2023, it became one of the first big payment networks to use stablecoins for live settlements. Since then, it has added support for more blockchains and settlement options to give partners more options.
Final Thoughts
Visa’s stablecoin strategy seems to be moving into a new phase now that the US launch is live. What started out as small tests is slowly turning into a settlement tool that banks can readily use.
Visa is showing that stablecoins could soon be a regular part of how payments are settled in the traditional financial system as more banks want funds to move all the time and better control over liquidity.
Also Read: FDIC Proposes Rule for Payment Stablecoins Under GENIUS Act
