If you’re familiar with crypto, chances are that you observed how fast stablecoins are gaining ground. These are, in essence, crypto assets that track the live value of reserve assets, such as national currencies (e.g., USD, GBP, EUR) or assets like gold, oil, or real estate. Where crypto used to be a niche fintech sector, stablecoins also used to be some smaller, yet still niche parts of the broader crypto spectrum. But the concept of crypto overall has morphed from a geek’s pet project to a significant financial instrument, driven by mainstream adoption, massive institutional inflows, the introduction of financial products like ETFs, and the development of new applications beyond mere digital cash. Stablecoins have also achieved lift-off, and now, big institutions are exploring ways to make the most of the underlying technology and their potential.
At this very moment, you find stablecoins at the intersection of traditional finance (TradFi) and blockchain. Unlike conventional bank transfers, these can facilitate almost instantaneous settlements, reduce international transaction fees, and operate round-the-clock without the intermediaries found in conventional systems that are raising operations’ costs while slowing them down. Yet, for many who aren’t passionate about crypto or needing alternatives to fiat money, stablecoins remain abstract – at least, vaguer than crypto per se. The thing is that crypto prices, including Bitcoin, fluctuate constantly as you can see on platforms like Binance, but stablecoins offer a more stable and predictable alternative, serving as a reliable store of value rather than a purely speculative investment. This reliability is exactly what major players like Visa have been leveraging, turning them into usable tools for real-world payments and cross-border transfers, and effectively bridging the gap between the volatile crypto markets and practical financial operations.
Curious about how Visa keeps merging global payment operations with blockchain technology?
Dollar shortages and high inflation are just two huge issues many countries are facing right now. Banks are running out of dollars, and an increasing number of people struggle to stay afloat despite the pressing need to meet daily needs, like purchasing food or paying bills. Venezuela has been struggling for years with hyperinflation and the aftermath of a collapsing oil industry. The financial collapse and constant political instability in Lebanon have kept the Lebanese pound among the weakest currencies worldwide. Zimbabwe has been facing foreign currency shortages for just as long, and the list can go on.
Where governments and banks lag behind, crypto – with this article’s focus on stablecoins – offers people an escape to continue to transact, save, and receive payments, all the more when talking about cross-border ones (which are otherwise impossible or too expensive).
Visa launched in November 2025 a pilot program via its Visa Direct platform, which enables business platforms to send payouts in traditional finance and recipients to receive funds in USDC stablecoins straight to their wallets. In short, USDC is a stablecoin backed by the USD or assets like U.S. Treasury securities. This is more than an experiment – it shows that stablecoins are becoming a more legitimate payment tool than a digital curiosity.
For the program’s recipients, this offers more flexibility and control, as they can hold digital dollars, spend them, or convert them back into local currencies as they need. For businesses, on the other hand, this uncovers a scalable, transparent, and programmable way to handle payouts, particularly cross-border ones.
Visa’s efforts expand beyond USDC and into a settlement infrastructure with four stablecoins spread across more blockchains, including Ethereum, Avalanche, Solana, and Stellar. Visa addresses a digital asset key challenge this way: interoperability, or the capability of more blockchains to communicate and transfer assets. Visa’s network facilitates the seamless flow of stablecoins across more blockchains, meaning that if you want to use it, you no longer need to worry about being locked into a single chain. Visa integrates stablecoins with traditional payment rails, unlocking an unprecedented level of flexibility.
Therefore, for businesses managing international payments, fintech devs developing innovative payment solutions, or even consumers learning how to spend their digital assets, Visa’s recent breakthrough presents a multi-chain capability that didn’t exist before.
One of the most innovative developments of Visa is its stablecoin-linked cards, allowing consumers to use stablecoins directly at company partners. Developed in partnership with fintech providers like Bridge, the system converts digital assets into fiat money at any POS – a huge success in times of faltering fiat. Merchants would be generally more willing to accept stablecoins if it weren’t for the complex technicalities and notorious crypto volatility, and Visa solves these problems. You, as a user, can pay with stablecoins just like you would with your standard bank card. For businesses, these cards create a bridge that connects digital dollars to the existing merchant ecosystem without requiring every vendor to adopt blockchain.
Visa’s pilot programs are already rolling out in Latin America, in countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. In these markets, access to a stable digital dollar account addresses a real pain point: in regions where local currencies can fluctuate or banking access is limited, holding a stablecoin account can provide both financial stability and liquidity. For companies operating internationally, or for fintech developers building consumer-facing solutions, this demonstrates the practical value and scalability of stablecoins.
At press time, the entire value of all stablecoins in circulation stands at $217BN, a 46% YoY growth from 2024, according to the official Visa page.
With Visa’s stablecoin initiatives as a foundation, Wirex announced on November 18 a new dual-settlement system using EURC and USDC on the Stellar blockchain. The service is integrated directly with Visa, therefore allowing the 7MN+ Wirex users spread across 130 countries to settle card transactions on the chain without relying on traditional banking intermediaries, reducing fees, expediting processing, and increasing traceability, all while preserving the familiar Wirex card experience and expanding cross-border and merchant payment capabilities globally.
Developments like these highlight just how far blockchain technology and payment systems can go when merging.
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For more information on the risks of cryptocurrency investments, please visit the FCA’s official guidance.
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