Visa adds Western Union’s USDPT stablecoin to its settlement network

Visa is adding Western Union’s USDPT stablecoin to its settlement network through a partnership with Anchorage Digital, allowing eligible partners to use the token to settle obligations on VisaNet.

Anchorage Digital said Thursday that its federally chartered bank will support select stablecoins as native settlement assets on Visa’s network, starting with USDPT. The agreement also establishes a framework to evaluate additional stablecoins issued by Anchorage Digital Bank.

Visa expands stablecoin settlement with Anchorage Digital

Under the agreement, Visa and eligible partners can use USDPT to settle VisaNet obligations, the payments network’s process for settling transactions between participating financial institutions.

The arrangement expands Visa’s stablecoin settlement capabilities beyond existing supported assets, giving institutions another option for managing settlement obligations using digital dollars.

“Stablecoins have made money move faster, but speed alone won’t bring institutions onchain,” said Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley.

He added that institutions need regulated infrastructure supporting their transactions, combining the speed of stablecoins with the oversight of a federally chartered bank.

Visa Vice President of Global Crypto Partnerships Dan Roesbery said the collaboration would provide partners with additional settlement options backed by regulated financial infrastructure.

Western Union’s USDPT expands into Visa settlement

USDPT is a US dollar stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank on Solana. Launched in May 2026, the token is fully backed by US dollar reserves and redeemable at a 1:1 ratio.

Western Union introduced USDPT to support treasury management, cross border transfers and settlement across its global payment network. The company aims to use the stablecoin to reduce reliance on prefunded accounts and improve capital efficiency by allowing funds to move continuously.

In August, Western Union also launched Stablecard in partnership with Rain, combining a USDPT wallet with a Visa card. The product debuted in 37 markets, with plans to expand to more than 60 by the end of 2026.

The Stablecard consumer product is separate from the new institutional settlement agreement, which focuses on allowing eligible financial institutions to meet their Visa obligations using USDPT.

Visa has been expanding its stablecoin infrastructure as institutional adoption accelerates. In September, the company reported that its stablecoin settlement volume had surpassed a $20 billion annualized run rate, increasing more than 15 times from a year earlier.

Anchorage Digital, valued at $4.2 billion following a $100 million investment from Tether in February, also issues stablecoins for institutions including Tether, Ethena Labs and OSL Group.

Beyond issuance, the company operates Atlas, its institutional settlement network supporting collateral management, off exchange settlement and cross border transfers.

The companies said the partnership could eventually extend to additional stablecoins issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, although no further assets or rollout dates were announced.