Visa Inc. has taken a bold step toward the future of payments. During Web Summit 2025, the company launched a stablecoin payout pilot that allows businesses and digital platforms to send payments directly to recipients’ stablecoin wallets, including USD-backed options like USDC. The full announcement was published on Visa’s official investor page.
Businesses can fund these payouts in fiat currency, while recipients instantly receive stablecoins — speeding up global access to money, even in underbanked regions or economies facing currency volatility.
“Launching stablecoin payouts is about providing universal access to money in minutes—not days—for anyone, anywhere in the world,” said Chris Newkirk, President of Commercial & Money Movement Solutions at Visa. “Whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a business expanding globally, or a freelancer working across borders — everyone benefits from faster, more flexible payments.”
The Visa Direct Stablecoin Payout Pilot is designed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the digital economy. By using blockchain rails for settlements, Visa enables instant, transparent, and borderless payments for the global gig and creator workforce.
According to the Visa 2025 Creator Economy Report (conducted by Monetized), 57% of digital creators said faster access to funds is their top priority when choosing a payment platform. Stablecoins offer that speed — plus predictability and blockchain transparency.
The pilot’s early focus is on U.S.-based businesses and digital platforms, but Visa plans to extend access globally as regulatory frameworks mature. Freelancers, creators, and gig workers will be able to link compatible wallets that meet KYC/AML standards to receive stablecoin payouts directly.
This is not Visa’s first stablecoin experiment — the company’s September 2025 pilot let businesses pre-fund stablecoin balances for payouts. The new program takes it further by delivering funds directly to end users, skipping banks and cards altogether.
By combining Visa’s global reach with the speed and transparency of blockchain rails, the company is effectively reimagining how digital payments work for millions of people worldwide.
The pilot underscores Visa’s long-term goal: to provide instant, inclusive, and programmable money movement for the global economy.
As Newkirk put it, the initiative isn’t about replacing traditional finance — it’s about extending its reach. By embedding stablecoin infrastructure within Visa’s payment network, the company continues to position itself as a bridge between fintech innovation and regulatory trust.
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