Visa now allows its U.S. issuer and acquirer partners to settle payments directly using Circle’s USDC stablecoin. This marks the company’s first stablecoin settlement initiative within the United States. The move extends Visa’s existing international pilots and aims to modernize the settlement layer, allowing for faster funds movement and seven-day availability.
The initial phase involves partners Cross River Bank and Lead Bank. These institutions will utilize the Solana blockchain for transactions. Visa plans a broader rollout for 2026.
The company previously processed over $3.5 billion in annualized stablecoin settlement volume through its earlier international pilots. The consumer point-of-sale experience remains unchanged. Following the announcement, Visa shares saw a minor dip of 0.6%.