Visa has announced a pilot program at SIBOS 2025, enabling financial institutions to use pre-funded stablecoins for faster cross-border payments, aiming to revolutionize global transaction efficiency.
The initiative focuses on USDC and EURC stablecoins, collaborating closely with Circle, and is designed to reduce settlement delays, unlock capital, and modernize treasury operations for banks and remittance services.
Chris Newkirk, president of commercial and money movement solutions at Visa, stated, "Cross-border payments have been stuck in outdated systems for far too long," emphasizing the goal to minimize capital tied up in advance.
Visa has settled over $225 million in stablecoin volume to date, with plans for a broader rollout in 2026, and the stablecoin market cap stands at over $307 billion.
Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle, commented on the partnership, highlighting opportunities to leverage USDC for efficient settlements and reinforcing a shared vision for the future of finance.
This move aligns with broader industry trends, as Swift also collaborates on blockchain-based settlement platforms, indicating growing adoption of digital assets in traditional finance.