Visa has launched a test program to enable rapid cross-border payments for artists, freelancers, and gig workers using stablecoins, including Circle’s USDC.
The “breakthrough” trial enables companies and platforms in the United States to use Visa Direct to finance transfers in fiat currency, while recipients can opt to receive cash in USDC, the firm announced Wednesday.
Ease of payments
For receivers, this implies faster, borderless access to earnings, which is especially useful in places with unpredictable currencies or restricted banking access, according to Visa.
“Launching stablecoin payouts is about enabling truly universal access to money in minutes — not days — for anyone, anywhere in the world,” said Chris Newkirk, president of commercial and money movement solutions at Visa.
“Whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a business reaching new global markets, or a freelancer working across borders, everyone benefits from faster, more flexible money movement.”
Visa said the trial builds on its existing experience with stablecoin payments. It builds on an earlier September pilot that allowed firms to pre-fund repayments with stablecoins, the new phase takes it a step further by allowing end recipients to receive payments directly in stablecoin.
“In September, Visa Direct announced its stablecoin pre-funding pilot: letting businesses fund Visa Direct payouts using stablecoins instead of only fiat, a back-end treasury innovation,” Visa said. “Today’s pilot enables payouts to end recipients, like consumers, in stablecoins — putting digital dollars directly in recipients’ wallets.”
KYC and AML requirements
To receive stablecoin rewards, recipients must fulfil know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering (KYC/AML) criteria and own a “compatible” stablecoin wallet. According to a Visa representative, “this means they meet the Visa protocol and standards.”
A wider deployment is scheduled for the second half of 2026 as customer demand increases and regulatory frameworks develop.
The trial program begins with a small number of anonymous partners. The representative declined to identify any partners and stated that only USDC will be supported at launch.
Visa and stablecoin
Following the enactment of the U.S. GENIUS Act, the first federal law providing clear regulations for stablecoins, which industry analysts see as a trillion-dollar possibility, Visa’s stablecoin activities have intensified during the last year.
In an effort to revolutionise the way money travels across the world, Visa has started a ground-breaking pilot project that incorporates stablecoins into its cross-border payments program.
Banks, remittance companies, and financial institutions can pre-fund cross-border payments using Circle’s USDC and EURC through the Visa Direct trial, which was unveiled at SIBOS 2025.
BasedApp has declared that it would no longer provide Visa Card services in Singapore. The business clarified that in order to concentrate on its self-custodial wallet software and enter foreign markets, it is withdrawing its licensing application under the Payment Services Act.
According to CEO Ryan McInerney, Visa has enabled over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin flows since 2020. Visa users have used their Visa credentials to purchase over $100 billion in crypto and stablecoin assets and to spend over $35 billion in crypto and stablecoin assets.
Also Read: Visa & Mastercard Say Stablecoins Aren’t A Threat As Competition Grows And New Rules Loom