Global payments giant Visa has launched a pilot project enabling clients to use stablecoins to transfer funds internationally.
We're introducing stablecoins to Visa Direct, our instant payments platform that enables real-time money transfers to billions of endpoints. "We're creating a world where payments can be made in stablecoins, enabling instant, global, and programmable payouts," Visa announced.
The goal of the pilot is to reduce settlement times for businesses from days to minutes, providing them with faster access to liquidity. According to Visa representatives, recipients will always be able to receive payments in their local currency.
The pilot is limited to select companies, including banks and providers, through the Visa Direct service. Access to the feature is currently limited to the general public. Stablecoin payments are tentatively expected to be available to all Visa corporate clients starting in April 2026.
The pilot project is currently testing transactions with Circle's USDC and EURC stablecoins. However, other assets may be added based on demand.
Visa is actively entering the stablecoin space. This year, the company partnered with Stripe-owned Bridge to enable developers to issue Visa cards linked to stablecoins, and users to spend digital assets in stores worldwide.