Visa is allowing U.S. banks to settle payments usingCircle’s USDC stablecoin in a move highlighting how stablecoins are movingcloser to mainstream financial infrastructure as institutions look for faster,round-the-clock payment solutions. Visa’s Expanding Crypto StrategyAfter years of experimentation, the payments giant is formallylaunching the new offering within its U.S. payment network. The program, whichstarted with pilots abroad, lets approved issuers and acquirers send funds overthe Solana blockchain using USDC, the company mentioned on Tuesday. Cross River Bank and Lead Bank are the first partnerson board, and broader rollout across U.S. institutions will continue through2026. Visa said the integration allows faster fund transfers, seven-daysettlement windows, and more efficient liquidity management for banks—withoutaltering how consumers use their cards.The system aims to make treasury operations asseamless as using a blockchain wallet while maintaining the risk controls andcompliance standards expected from a global payments provider.“Banks Are Ready for Stablecoin Settlement”“Visa is expanding stablecoin settlement because ourbanking partners are not only asking about it - they’re preparing to use it,”said Rubail Birwadker, Global Head of Growth Products and StrategicPartnerships, Visa. “Financial institutions are looking for faster,programmable settlement options that integrate seamlessly with their existingtreasury operations.”The U.S. launch builds on Visa’s international pilotprograms, which collectively surpassed an annualized $3.5 billion in stablecoinvolumes as of November. The company was among the first major payment networksto test stablecoin settlement in 2023 and has since added more blockchains andtokens for flexibility.A powerful milestone in the mainstream adoption and acceptance of USDC, with Visa announcing that all US card issuers (banks, fintechs, crypto firms) can now settle directly with Visa using USDC. Visa also working with Circle to prepare for launching on @Arc.Dollar digital… pic.twitter.com/c7ilmCrXWY— Jeremy Allaire - jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) December 16, 2025Visa is also collaborating with Circle on Arc, a newLayer 1 blockchain designed for large-scale financial applications. Once live,Visa plans to validate transactions on Arc and use it for future settlements. Early adopters Cross River Bank and Lead Bank see thepotential in merging legacy payment systems with blockchain. Visa’s Advisory Arm Tackles Stablecoin StrategyTo complement the rollout, Visa Consulting &Analytics launched a Stablecoins Advisory Practice to guide institutionsthrough implementation and compliance. The move reflects growing demand frombanks and fintechs exploring blockchain-based settlement and integratingtokenized money into regulated financial structures.As Visa extends USDC settlement across the U.S., itsstrategy signals a shift in how traditional finance interacts with digitalassets—a movement where blockchain infrastructure no longer sits outside thepayment system but becomes part of its foundation.This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.