Visa has added Polygon to its global stablecoin settlement pilot, which now handles an annualized stablecoin volume of about $7 billion. The move expands Visa’s pilot from four to nine blockchains and follows a 50 percent quarter‑over‑quarter jump in stablecoin settlement activity.
With this update, issuers and acquirers in Visa’s network can choose Polygon as a settlement rail when they move stablecoins for card and payment flows. Visa says the goal is to let partners pick the chains that best fit their needs while still using Visa as a common settlement layer.
Polygon’s Growing Role in Stablecoins
Polygon describes itself as one of the largest networks for U.S. dollar stablecoin activity today. Data cited by the project shows that about 34 percent of all USD stablecoin transfers occur on Polygon, more than twice BNB Chain’s share.
The network also accounts for more than half of all USDC transfers and over one‑third of global USDC transactions, with weekly active stablecoin users above $3.19 million and on‑chain stablecoin supply near $3.62 billion. In March alone, Polygon processed about 178.1 million USD stablecoin transactions, underscoring how often it is used for payments‑style activity.
Why Visa Chose Polygon for Settlement
Visa highlights Polygon’s low fees and roughly four‑second transaction finality as key reasons for integrating it into the program. By combining those features with Visa’s card network, the company aims to offer faster and more efficient settlement options than traditional banking rails.
Polygon notes that its chain already supports real‑world settlement for firms like Stripe, Revolut, Flutterwave and even BlackRock‑linked activity in the broader ecosystem. Visa’s decision effectively recognizes Polygon as a core payment rail inside a major global network, not just a DeFi chain.
Visa’s stablecoin program started with Ethereum and later added chains like Solana, Avalanche and Stellar before expanding to five more, including Polygon and Canton. As the pilot grows, Visa frames stablecoins as a tool for “always‑on” programmable settlement that can operate across multiple chains under a single corporate framework.
Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron says Visa’s integration shows stablecoins are entering real‑world payments at scale and that the partnership aims to make stablecoin settlement “more practical, reliable and accessible” for partners worldwide. If the pilot continues to grow at its current pace, Polygon’s role as a key dollar‑stablecoin rail inside Visa’s ecosystem is likely to strengthen, especially for high‑volume, cross‑border transactions.
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