Visa Launches Pilot Program for Stablecoin Payments via Visa Direct
Visa Inc., the American payment technology company, announced during its participation in the Web Summit in Lisbon the launch of an innovative pilot program that allows businesses and platforms to send payments directly to recipients’ stablecoin wallets. This initiative aims to accelerate fund transfers and empower creators and gig economy workers to access their earnings instantly.
Enhancing Payment Speed
The new program enables companies using Visa Direct to fund payments in fiat currency, while recipients can choose to receive their funds in a USD-backed stablecoin, such as USDC.
This approach speeds up access to funds and provides value stability, especially in markets experiencing currency volatility or limited banking infrastructure.
Statements from Visa
Chris Newkirk, Head of Commercial Solutions and Money Movement at Visa, stated:
"Launching stablecoin payments represents a step toward real global access to money in minutes, not days, for anyone, anywhere. Whether a creator is building their digital brand, a company is expanding into new markets, or an independent worker is operating across borders, everyone benefits from faster and more flexible transfers."
Digital Economy Insights
According to the Monetized: Visa 2025 Creator Economy Report, speed of access to funds is a primary reason creators prefer digital payment methods. The report highlighted that 57% of digital content creators consider immediate access to earnings as the key driver for adopting these solutions.
Extension of Previous Trials
This pilot builds on Visa’s prior experiments with stablecoin-based payments. At SIBOS in September, the company announced a trial allowing businesses to fund payments using stablecoins instead of traditional currencies, providing greater financial flexibility to clients worldwide.
Key Features of the Program
- Near-instant access to funds: Consumers, creators, and gig workers can receive their earnings quickly, without waiting for traditional bank transfer times.
- Cross-border digital currency: Provides financial access to users in regions with limited banking services or without USD accounts.
- Higher transparency: All transactions are recorded permanently on a blockchain network, enhancing reliability and compliance.
- Financial inclusion expansion: The program will launch with selected partners, with plans to scale further in the second half of 2026.
Visa’s Digital Leadership
Visa emphasizes that this innovation strengthens its leadership in digital payment solutions by combining blockchain technology with the reliability of its global payments network. The initiative aims to redefine the future of money movement in the global digital economy.
