Visa has begun settling transactions in the USDC stablecoin for U.S.-based financial institutions, marking a significant shift in how the payments giant moves money. The program launched this week with Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, which are already completing settlements on the Solana blockchain. Visa says a wider rollout across the U.S. banking sector is planned for 2026.
The move allows participating banks to settle obligations with Visa using USDC instead of traditional fiat rails. Transactions are processed on Solana, a blockchain known for high throughput and low transaction costs. Visa framed the launch as a response to growing demand from banks seeking faster, programmable settlement tools that integrate with existing treasury systems.
According to Visa, the two launch partners are live and operational, demonstrating that stablecoin settlement can function at institutional scale. The company said additional banks and payment firms are expected to join as infrastructure and regulatory clarity continue to improve.
The announcement comes as Circle, the issuer of USDC, recently unveiled a public testnet for its upcoming layer-1 blockchain, Arc. More than 100 major financial and technology firms are involved, including Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, and Goldman Sachs. Visa confirmed it is acting as a design partner for Arc and plans to operate a node on the network while using it for future USDC settlements within its global systems.
Visa’s global head of growth products and strategic partnerships, Rubail Birwadker, said financial institutions are increasingly focused on settlement speed and automation. He noted that banks are no longer just exploring stablecoins but actively preparing to use them in production environments.
The U.S. rollout is part of a broader effort by Visa to modernize its settlement infrastructure and remain competitive as stablecoins gain traction. Earlier this week, the company launched a global Stablecoins Advisory Practice designed to help banks, merchants, and fintech firms develop and manage stablecoin-based products.
Visa has also expanded stablecoin settlement beyond the U.S. In late November, the company partnered with crypto infrastructure firm Aquanow to support stablecoin settlements across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. That initiative focuses on reducing costs, operational complexity, and settlement delays by using approved stablecoins such as USDC.
Not all of Visa’s stablecoin efforts are aimed solely at institutions. Earlier this month, the company launched a U.S. pilot enabling businesses to send stablecoin payouts directly to user wallets, funded by traditional fiat accounts. Visa says select partners are currently being onboarded, with broader access expected in 2026.
