Visa Begins US Stablecoin Settlement via USDC on Solana
Visa is expanding its stablecoin pilot to allow U.S. acquirer and issuer partners to settle transactions using Circle’s USDC on the Solana blockchain. Initial banking partners include Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, with a broader rollout anticipated in 2026. This move enables faster, seven-day-a-week settlement, improving upon the traditional five-day banking window. Visa reports a $3.5 billion annualized stablecoin settlement run rate and aims to provide a unified platform supporting both stablecoins and traditional payment networks. The expansion follows Visa’s global pilots with USDC begun in 2023, reaching other blockchains like Stellar and Avalanche, and partnerships with Circle for future integration on the Arc blockchain. Visa has also launched a stablecoin advisory practice for financial institutions and merchants. All U.S. card issuers can now settle directly with Visa using USDC.
