worldcoinindex.com
Visa is taking its stablecoin ambitions to the next level with a new pilot that enables direct payouts in Circle’s USDC, marking a major step toward faster and borderless money movement for global earners.
The initiative allows U.S. businesses using Visa Direct to send fiat payouts, while recipients can choose to receive funds in USDC stablecoins. This system offers nearly instant access to payments — a critical advancement for creators, freelancers, and gig workers in regions facing currency instability or limited banking options.
“Stablecoin payouts are about making money universally accessible — in minutes, not days,” said Chris Newkirk, Visa’s president of commercial and money movement solutions. “Whether it’s a freelancer, a small business, or a digital creator, this pilot opens doors to faster, more flexible global payments.”
The program builds on Visa’s prior work with stablecoin settlements. A September 2025 pilot focused on enabling businesses to pre-fund payouts in stablecoins. The latest phase extends that functionality to end recipients, putting digital dollars directly into users’ wallets.
Recipients will need a KYC-compliant wallet that supports USDC to participate. Visa says the pilot is launching with select, undisclosed partners, and aims for a broader rollout in the second half of 2026 as regulatory clarity and demand grow.
The expansion underscores Visa’s deepening involvement in blockchain-based finance. Following the passage of the U.S. GENIUS Act, which created the country’s first legal framework for stablecoins, Visa has fast-tracked efforts to integrate stablecoins into its global infrastructure.
Since 2020, Visa has processed over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin transactions. CEO Ryan McInerney recently noted that stablecoin-linked Visa card spending quadrupled year-over-year, with an annualized volume surpassing $2.5 billion.
Recent partnerships include collaborations with Bridge (a Stripe subsidiary) for developer-issued stablecoin Visa cards and Yellow Card in Africa for treasury and liquidity pilots. The company also operates its Visa Tokenized Asset Platform, allowing banks to test minting and burning stablecoins in controlled environments.
While Visa has not ruled out issuing its own stablecoin, its current focus is on expanding real-world use cases — from remittances and cross-border B2B payments to creator economy payouts.
As the pilot progresses, Visa’s stablecoin network could redefine the global payments landscape — merging the speed of DeFi with the trust of traditional finance.