Visa Taps into Solana to Expand USDC Payment Settlement Capabilities

·

In a significant move bridging traditional finance and decentralized technology, Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlement infrastructure to include USD Coin (USDC) tokens issued on the Solana blockchain. This development marks a pivotal step in Visa’s long-term strategy to modernize cross-border payments using blockchain-based digital dollars.

By integrating USDC on Solana, Visa enables faster, more efficient fund transfers between financial institutions, merchant acquirers, and issuing partners. The expansion builds upon earlier pilots conducted on the Ethereum network, demonstrating Visa’s commitment to leveraging multiple high-performance blockchains for real-world financial applications.

Expanding Stablecoin Settlement Infrastructure

Visa has officially launched live and completed pilot programs with major payment processors—including Worldpay and Nuvei—to facilitate the transfer of millions of USDC across both Ethereum and Solana networks. These transactions are used to settle fiat-denominated payments, streamlining reconciliation and reducing dependency on legacy banking rails.

The integration allows participating institutions to leverage Visa’s existing treasury and settlement systems while connecting directly to Web3-native assets. According to Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s Head of Crypto, adopting USDC and scalable blockchains like Solana significantly enhances the speed, cost-efficiency, and availability of cross-border settlements.

“Tapping into stablecoins like USDC and high-performance blockchains enables us to reimagine how value moves globally—faster, cheaper, and more reliably.”

This latest update follows Visa’s initial foray into stablecoin settlements in 2021, when it partnered with Crypto.com to test Ethereum-based USDC for settling cross-border transactions tied to its Australian card program. Previously, such settlements required multi-day processing and incurred substantial wire fees. With USDC, these delays and costs have been dramatically reduced.

👉 Discover how blockchain-powered payment solutions are transforming global finance.

From Pilot Programs to Real-World Integration

What began as an experimental pilot has evolved into a fully operational component of Visa’s financial infrastructure. Today, Crypto.com uses a Visa-managed treasury account in collaboration with Circle, the issuer of USDC, to send digital dollars across borders via the Ethereum blockchain. This process simplifies international transfers, eliminating intermediaries and reducing settlement time from days to minutes.

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder and CEO of Circle, emphasized the broader implications of this advancement:

“Circle built USDC to provide a functional digital dollar that could move at the speed of the internet to facilitate secure, reliable payments.”

With Solana now added to the mix, Visa further amplifies this vision by tapping into a blockchain known for its high throughput, low transaction fees, and sub-second finality—critical advantages for high-volume payment networks.

Powering Merchant Acquirers with Web3 Efficiency

The inclusion of Solana-issued USDC extends beyond internal experimentation—it directly benefits key players in the payments ecosystem. Visa now sends funds to acquiring partners such as Worldpay and Nuvei, enabling them to route USDC payments directly to merchants they serve.

Jim Johnson, President of Merchant Solutions at Worldpay, highlighted the strategic value:

“Visa’s USDC settlement capability gives our merchants more flexibility in how they receive funds and improves their ability to manage treasury operations efficiently.”

For merchants, especially those engaged in cross-border commerce, this means quicker access to capital, reduced counterparty risk, and greater control over cash flow—all without requiring deep technical knowledge of blockchain systems.

Nabil Manji, Worldpay’s Head of Crypto and Web3, noted during a conversation at Money20/20 Amsterdam that the company has been at the forefront of crypto adoption since partnering with Coinbase in 2013 to enable fiat card payments for cryptocurrency purchases. Now, he sees Visa’s latest initiative as a gateway to next-generation financial services:

“It opens the door to exploring future enhancements such as 24/7/365 settlement availability and real-time or multiple daily settlements—all of which can help accelerate cross-border commerce.”

👉 See how next-gen payment rails are reshaping merchant experiences worldwide.

Accelerating the Future of Cross-Border Payments

One of the most transformative aspects of stablecoin integration is the potential for near-instant settlement cycles. Traditional banking systems often operate on T+2 or longer settlement timelines, with limited weekend and holiday availability. In contrast, blockchain networks like Solana support continuous settlement, laying the foundation for true real-time global payments.

Visa’s ongoing exploration of off-chain solutions—including the use of Paymaster smart contracts—further underscores its commitment to optimizing user experience in hybrid financial environments. These smart contracts can cover gas fees on behalf of users, enabling seamless transaction execution without requiring end-users to hold native cryptocurrencies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is USDC?
A: USDC (USD Coin) is a regulated, dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle. Each USDC token is backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves, making it a reliable digital representation of fiat currency used widely in blockchain transactions.

Q: Why did Visa choose Solana for USDC integration?
A: Solana offers high-speed transaction processing (over 65,000 TPS), low fees (fractions of a cent), and fast finality (under one second). These features make it ideal for large-scale payment networks needing scalability and efficiency.

Q: Does this mean Visa is replacing traditional money with crypto?
A: No. Visa is not replacing fiat currency but enhancing its existing infrastructure by incorporating stablecoins like USDC as a settlement tool. This bridges traditional finance with blockchain innovation without disrupting current systems.

Q: How does this benefit everyday consumers?
A: While consumers may not notice immediate changes, faster backend settlements mean merchants receive funds quicker, potentially leading to improved service delivery, lower operational costs, and expanded global purchasing options.

Q: Can any merchant accept USDC through Visa now?
A: Not directly. Currently, only select acquirers like Worldpay and Nuvei are participating in pilot programs. However, broader rollout could enable wider merchant adoption over time.

👉 Learn how digital dollar innovations are powering the future of global commerce.

Final Thoughts: Building the Financial Infrastructure of Tomorrow

Visa’s expansion into Solana-based USDC settlements reflects a growing trend among financial institutions: embracing blockchain not as a disruptor, but as an upgrade. By integrating stablecoins across multiple chains—including Ethereum and Solana—Visa is constructing a more agile, inclusive, and efficient global payment network.

As adoption grows, we can expect increased experimentation with programmable money, automated settlements, and 24/7 transaction rails—all powered by trusted digital dollars like USDC. For businesses and consumers alike, the future of payments is becoming faster, smarter, and more accessible than ever before.

Core Keywords: