Visa Expands Crypto Push With Mysterious Blockchain Integration Plan

TLDR

• Visa will support four new stablecoins across four unique blockchains
• The company aims to expand its crypto services through Visa Direct
• Supported stablecoins include USDC EURC PYUSD and USDG
• Blockchains involved include Ethereum Solana Stellar and Avalanche
• Visa has processed $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin flows since 2020

Visa will begin supporting four stablecoins across four blockchains as part of its expanding crypto payments initiative. The company confirmed this move during its fourth-quarter and year-end earnings call with investors.

CEO Ryan McInerney said Visa sees growing demand for stablecoins in payments and settlement processes. He confirmed Visa has processed $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin flows since 2020.

McInerney emphasized Visa’s current focus on enabling broader stablecoin capabilities for banks and financial institutions. The company aims to enhance its cross-border payments infrastructure using stablecoins and tokenized platforms.

Support for USDC Grows Through Visa Direct

Visa will continue integrating USDC into its Visa Direct program for cross-border transactions. The platform enables pre-funding by financial institutions using stablecoins. USDC is already live on Ethereum and Solana. With this update, Visa extends USDC to Stellar and Avalanche blockchains as well.

He added that Visa is driving monthly volume beyond a $2.5 billion annualized run rate. Visa said this expansion will support faster, scalable transactions for partners using stablecoin-linked card products. Cross-border use cases will continue to grow.

Visa already supports Euro Coin (EURC), developed by Circle. It is now integrating it further into the Visa Direct program. EURC runs on Ethereum and Avalanche networks. Visa plans to support it across two additional chains. This upgrade will help facilitate euro-denominated settlements globally. Visa said banks can now mint and burn stablecoins using its tokenized asset platform. McInerney said Visa is working closely with financial institutions to enable stablecoin-based solutions. The company continues to invest in expanding its services.

Global Dollar Added to Visa’s Blockchain Rollout

Global Dollar (USDG) is also part of Visa’s supported stablecoins. It can be used across the company’s global crypto payment system. USDG currently operates on Ethereum. With the update, it gains support on Solana, Stellar, and Avalanche. Visa said this will increase liquidity and functionality for partners using USDG in cross-border and settlement operations. It builds on Visa’s strategy to grow its stablecoin ecosystem. 

Visa has confirmed that it is building stablecoin minting and burning features for its banking clients. This service uses Visa’s tokenized asset platform. The solution lets banks issue and redeem their own stablecoins. It will support real-time cross-border fund movement. Visa is now piloting this feature with institutions through its expanded settlement infrastructure. It will form part of the Visa Direct program. McInerney confirmed,

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