Visa has introduced a pilot program for stablecoin payouts using USDC stablecoins, an initiative that aims to connect traditional financial systems with blockchain technology, enabling instant, transparent settlement. This development represents a significant advancement in how global businesses and creators handle cross-border payments.
Visa Launches USDC-Powered Payments
Visa’s new functionality, unveiled at the Lisbon Web Summit and announced at the Singapore Fintech Festival, enables U.S. platforms and companies to make direct payouts in stablecoins backed by U.S. dollars.
Now, recipients, such as independent contractors, freelancers, and digital creatives, can have their funds sent to a stablecoin wallet rather than a bank account or credit card. However, to ensure broad compatibility and unambiguous regulatory compliance, it supports only USDC during the initial phases.
Although fiat money is used to fund outgoing payments, customers can receive up to 100% of their rewards in stablecoins like USDC. The initiative is part of Visa Direct, which handles real-time transactions totalling more than $10 billion a year.
Instead of keeping track of users’ stablecoin wallets, Visa will provide companies with the means to send money directly to third-party wallets like Coinbase.
Reducing Friction for the Creator Economy and the Underbanked
The pilot directly addresses several persistent pain points in the global payment space. According to a Visa 2025 Creator Economy Report, 57% of online content creators and gig workers identify the speed of fund access as a decisive factor in their payment platform choice. With the new service, recipients can bypass multi-day banking delays, avoid currency volatility, and receive stable value instantly.
Emerging markets are a key focus, as Visa estimates more than a billion people worldwide are unbanked but could receive and use stablecoins for personal and business purposes. Stablecoins offer alternatives for those with limited access to banking infrastructure or US dollar accounts, and every transaction is recorded on-chain for transparency and compliance.
The pilot is currently available to select U.S. partners and has plans to expand globally in 2026 as demand and regulatory clarity grow. Visa is also collaborating with global cross-border services like Nium to further streamline settlement for remittance and business payments.
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