In the future critical development of cross-border payments, Visa has launched a pilot project that will enable banks and financial institutions to use Stablecoins to advance fund international transactions. This initiative is part of Visa’s ongoing efforts to modernize global payment infrastructure, providing faster, more efficient solutions that leverage the growing adoption of cryptocurrency assets.
- Visa’s new pilot will allow Stablecoins to be used for pre-funded cross-border payments to reduce reliance on traditional Fiat mechanisms.
- Participants can use Circle’s USDC and EURC as assets to promote global payments for myopia.
- The pilot aims to optimize liquidity, reduce costs and increase the predictability of financial management for financial institutions.
- Currently, Visa processes more than $225 million in Stablecoin transactions, a small portion of its $16 trillion annual payments.
- The move coincides with other industry efforts, such as Swift’s collaboration on blockchain-based payment systems.
Visa Pilot allows banks to use Stablecoins for global payouts
Announced at SIBOS 2025, Visa’s new Stablecoin Pilot Trial can be used to provide advance funding before cross-border transactions using Stablecoins such as Circle’s USDC and EURC. These digital assets are treated as cash equivalents, allowing for instant near-instant payments that significantly improve the speed and efficiency of international transfers.
The main advantage of Stablecoin Pre-Funding is its ability to optimize fluidity. Instead of linking large sums of traditional Fiat currency in multiple corridors, participants can directly fund their visas with stove coins. This approach also aims to streamline financial operations, especially during times or weekends where traditional systems are not very active.
To date, Visa has processed more than $225 million in Stablecoin transactions. This number is a relatively small percentage of approximately $16 trillion in total annual payments, but it means steps to integrate digital assets into mainstream financial workflows.
The pilot is currently limited to partners that meet Visa’s internal standards with a wider deployment expected in 2026. Visa has yet to publicly comment on the pilot’s progress, but it clearly shows the move towards embracing blockchain-based solutions for cross-border payments.
Meanwhile, industry-wide development continues to support this change. For example, Swift has announced collaborations with Ethereum Developer Consensys and numerous financial institutions, developing a blockchain-based payments platform that enables real-time transactions, 24/7.
Blockchain and Crypto initiatives accelerate global payment innovation
This strategic move from Visa will quickly follow the industry’s announcement to support the role of blockchain in payment infrastructure. Recently, Stablecoin startup RedotPay achieved unicorn status after raising $47 million in a fundraising round led by Coinbase Ventures. Other companies like Bastion have also secured significant investments, highlighting the growing confidence of investors in crypto-driven financial services.
As the payments industry continues to evolve, it is clear that cryptocurrencies, stubcoins and blockchain technologies are playing an increasingly important role in shaping faster, more efficient global financial networks. Visa pilots highlight the potential for mainstream adoption of digital assets in promoting international commerce and remittances, paving the way for a future where blockchain-based solutions become standard practice in the crypto market and beyond.