Visa has made a significant leap in blockchain adoption, moving beyond pilot programs to operate a full-scale global stablecoin settlement system across multiple blockchains as of January 2026. This deployment signals that traditional finance is actively utilizing blockchain technology at scale, rather than merely testing it.
The system is processing more than $3.5 billion in annual settlement volume, positioning it as one of the largest real-world blockchain deployments by a traditional financial institution. Visa has adopted a multi-chain strategy, assigning clear roles to four specific blockchains to optimize for security, speed, and cost-efficiency.
Ethereum remains the core layer for high-value transactions requiring maximum security and deep liquidity. For fast, institutional-grade settlements where speed is critical, Visa utilizes Solana and Avalanche. Meanwhile, Stellar is leveraged for enterprise use cases and cross-border payments. This approach helps Visa avoid network congestion and improve overall system reliability.
Looking ahead, Visa is a design partner on Arc, a new Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for payments by Circle. Although Arc is currently in testnet, Visa plans to run a validator and settle USDC directly on the network upon its launch, aiming to further accelerate enterprise payments and reduce costs.
