Visa Integrates USDC Stablecoin Settlement on Solana for U.S. Financial Institutions

Visa Inc. officially launched its USDC stablecoin settlement service for financial institutions within the United States on December 16, 2025, marking a significant step in modernizing the settlement layer for global commerce. This initiative represents the first full implementation of Visa's stablecoin settlement service within the U.S. banking system, allowing domestic issuer and acquirer partners to settle transactions using Circle's USDC directly via the Solana blockchain infrastructure.

The new service introduces a seven-day settlement window, diverging from the conventional Monday-to-Friday framework, with the aim of enhancing treasury efficiency for partners without altering the consumer card experience. This deployment builds upon Visa's earlier experiments, which began in 2021, and formal global pilots initiated in 2023, when Visa became one of the first major payment networks to settle transactions using a stablecoin. As of November 30, 2025, Visa's annualized stablecoin settlement volume reached $3.5 billion, a notable increase compared to the $7.26 trillion in traditional fiat settlement volume for the twelve months ending September 30, 2025.

Initial banking participants utilizing Visa for USDC settlement on Solana include Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, with broader availability across U.S. institutions scheduled to roll out progressively throughout 2026. According to Rubail Birwadker, Visa’s Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships, financial institutions are actively seeking faster, programmable settlement options that integrate with existing treasury operations.

Furthermore, Visa is deepening its collaboration with Circle, the provider of USDC, and Arc, Circle's blockchain developer. Visa is participating as a design partner for Arc, Circle's Layer 1 blockchain currently in public testnet, and intends to operate a validator node upon its official launch. This commitment underscores a focus on on-chain infrastructure designed for the performance and scalability required by Visa's global commercial activity.

In response to the expanding digital asset ecosystem, where the stablecoin market capitalization has surpassed $250 billion, Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) introduced its Stablecoins Advisory Practice on December 15, 2025. This new practice is designed to offer actionable insights to banks, fintechs, merchants, and businesses regarding the market fit, strategy, and implementation of stablecoin solutions. Early clients for this advisory service include Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar Credit Union, and Pathward.

This strategic expansion, which follows the extension of stablecoin settlement services to the CEMEA region in late November 2025, positions Visa as a critical link between established payment rails and decentralized digital currency infrastructure, addressing the rising institutional demand for seven-day liquidity options.