Visa announced on December 16, 2025, that it has launched stablecoin settlement capabilities in the United States, allowing select issuer and acquirer partners to settle obligations using Circle’s dollar-pegged USDC. This marks the first time U.S.-based financial institutions can settle directly with the payments network using a stablecoin instead of traditional fiat rails, as part of Visa’s broader effort to modernize its settlement infrastructure while keeping the consumer card experience unchanged.
Stablecoin Settlement Details
According to Visa’s statement, eligible U.S. issuer and acquirer partners can now use USDC — a fully reserved, dollar-denominated stablecoin issued by Circle — to settle Visanet obligations. Settlement occurs over supported blockchains, offering an alternative to the traditional five-day banking window. The stablecoin settlement enables seven-day availability, including weekends and holidays, potentially improving liquidity timing and treasury operations for participating institutions. In plain terms, money no longer has to wait for Monday morning.
Initial Participants and Blockchain Choice
Initial participants include Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, both of which have begun settling with Visa using USDC on the Solana blockchain. Visa said it plans to expand access to additional U.S. partners through 2026, signaling a gradual rather than overnight rollout. The company chose Solana for its high throughput, low cost, and fast finality, which meet the demands of payment-grade settlement.
Arc: A New Layer-1 Blockchain
Visa also disclosed that it is working with Circle as a design partner on Arc, a new layer-1 (L1) blockchain currently in public testnet. The company plans to use Arc for future USDC settlement and to operate a validator node once the network becomes operational. This move demonstrates Visa’s commitment not only to using stablecoins as a payment tool but also to actively building the underlying infrastructure to secure its position in the blockchain-based payment ecosystem.
Global Expansion and Scale
The U.S. launch builds on Visa’s earlier stablecoin settlement pilots in regions including Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia. As of November 30, 2025, Visa reported its stablecoin settlement activity had reached an annualized run rate exceeding $3.5 billion. Visa first tested USDC settlement in 2021 and began expanding blockchain and stablecoin support more broadly in 2023. The company has framed the effort as a way to bridge traditional payment rails with blockchain-based infrastructure rather than replace existing systems outright. While stablecoins have long been discussed as a future payments tool, Visa’s U.S. rollout moves them closer to the plumbing of everyday finance — quietly, methodically, and without much fanfare for cardholders swiping at the register.