Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement to Central Europe, Middle East, Africa Via Aquanow Partnership

Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlement capabilities across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) through a partnership with digital asset platform Aquanow, the companies announced Thursday.

The integration will enable Visa's network of issuers and acquirers in the region to settle transactions using approved stablecoins including USDC, reducing costs, operational complexity, and settlement times. The service supports 365-day settlement, eliminating weekend and holiday delays associated with traditional banking rails.

Visa became one of the first major payment networks to settle transactions in stablecoins when it piloted USDC settlements in 2023. The company's stablecoin settlement volume has since reached a $2.5 billion annualized run rate as of the most recent reporting period.

"By harnessing the power of stablecoins and pairing them with our trusted global technology, we are enabling financial institutions in CEMEA to experience faster and simpler settlements," said Godfrey Sullivan, head of product and solutions for CEMEA at Visa. "Our partnership with Aquanow is another key step in modernizing the back-end rails of payments, reducing reliance on traditional systems with multiple intermediaries."

Aquanow will provide the digital asset infrastructure underpinning the expanded settlement service, integrating its liquidity and infrastructure solutions with Visa's payment technology stack.

"Visa's reliable global network has long moved money securely and efficiently," said Phil Sham, CEO of Aquanow. "Together, Visa and Aquanow are unlocking new ways for institutions to participate in the digital economy, leveraging stablecoin technology to settle with the speed and transparency of the internet."

The expansion addresses growing demand among financial institutions for faster and more cost-effective cross-border transactions. Stablecoin settlement allows institutions to bypass traditional correspondent banking networks, which typically involve multiple intermediaries and can take several business days to complete.

Visa's stablecoin settlement program allows participating institutions to fulfill their settlement obligations using digital dollars rather than traditional fiat currency transfers. The service is designed for business-to-business transactions rather than consumer payments.

The regional expansion follows Visa's stablecoin settlement launches in other markets and comes as major payment networks increasingly integrate blockchain-based settlement infrastructure alongside traditional payment rails.