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In December, Visa took a meaningful step toward integrating stablecoins into mainstream finance by enabling USDC settlement in the United States. US issuer and acquirer partners can now settle directly with Visa in USDC, the dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle.
This news means issuers can benefit from faster funds movement over blockchains, seven‑day availability and enhanced operational resilience across weekends and holidays - without any change to the consumer card experience.
“Visa is expanding stablecoin settlement because our banking partners are not only asking about it - they’re preparing to use it,” said Rubail Birwadker, Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships, Visa.
Stablecoins on the rise
While family offices are still slow to add cryptocurrencies in their portfolios - the JP Morgan 2026 Global Family Office Report noting 89% have no crypto exposure - the move from Visa highlights how financial institutions are looking for faster, programmable settlement options that integrate seamlessly with their existing treasury operations, and how blockchain solutions can provide these.
It also reflects the shift in sentiment and regulatory stance towards stablecoins. The GENIUS Act was signed in July last year, aiming to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins.
Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency that are backed by assets considered to be reliable such as a national currency or a commodity. The $300 billion sector is expected to reach $2 trillion by 2028, hence the increased urgency to provide services built around dollar-based digital currency.
Institutional integration
With Visa bringing USDC settlement to the US, it delivers a reliable, bank‑ready capability that improves treasury efficiency while maintaining security, compliance and resiliency standards.
Initial banking participants of the new Visa stablecoin service include Cross River Bank and a16z-backed Lead Bank, who have started settling with Visa in USDC over the Solana blockchain.
Last year, Visa’s monthly stablecoin settlement volume passed a $3.5 billion annualized run rate, a significant milestone since Visa became one of the first major networks to settle transactions in a stablecoin in 2023.
Visa first experimented with USDC settlement in 2021. Circle, the company behind USDC, emphasized the importance of integrating fully-reserved stablecoins into institutional settlement flows.
“Bringing USDC settlement to the U.S. with Visa is a milestone for internet native money moving at the speed of software,” said Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Circle. “It helps card-issuing financial institutions modernize treasury and unlock new services while retaining the transparency and trust that USDC is known for.”
Visa bringing stablecoin payments mainstream is just another way blockchain technology can add value to legacy banking systems.
Unified platforms that support both stablecoins and traditional payment networks are seen by many insiders as the likely foundation for the future of banking technology.
Find out more on the Visa USDC settlement service here.
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