Visa has taken a significant step toward crypto-integrated payments with the launch of a new stablecoin payout pilot in the United States.

Announced at the Web Summit in Lisbon on Wednesday, the initiative allows US-based businesses to send stablecoin payouts from fiat-funded accounts directly to recipients’ crypto wallets.

This move positions USDC at the centre of a broader effort to upgrade traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain efficiency.

Visa’s new pilot enables users of its Visa Direct service to send USD Coin (USDC) directly to wallets of recipients who choose to receive funds in stablecoins.

The function compresses payment timelines from multiple days to mere minutes.

Visa stated that the use case targets business-to-worker transactions including salaries, freelance payments, and contractor disbursements.

While the pilot is initially limited to select US-based partners, a full-scale rollout is expected in 2026. It is designed to benefit companies managing international operations or engaging workers in the gig economy.

These segments frequently face frictions in the current cross-border banking model.

Internal data from Visa revealed that 57% of gig workers favour digital payments due to their immediacy.

This initiative responds to that trend by integrating stablecoin transfers into the workflow of existing financial systems, eliminating legacy bottlenecks.

This pilot is not Visa’s first foray into blockchain-backed settlement. In July, it extended its stablecoin capabilities to support tokens such as Global Dollar (USDG), PayPal USD (PYUSD), and Euro Coin (EURC) across Stellar and Avalanche blockchains.

These integrations reflect Visa’s intent to normalise stablecoin use in conventional payment channels.

By September, Visa Direct began piloting real-time treasury transfers using USDC and EURC. These tests addressed corporate demand for rapid inter-business settlements, especially for treasury management applications.

The timing of Visa’s acceleration aligns with legislative clarity. The recent passage of the GENIUS Act in the United States introduced a federal framework for stablecoins.

This regulatory milestone has prompted a wave of institutional engagement with digital currencies.

Other major financial players are not far behind. Citigroup is developing stablecoin-based systems for internal and external settlements. Western Union has disclosed plans to roll out a blockchain-based asset transfer mechanism on Solana.

Meanwhile, JPMorgan and Bank of America are in early-stage development of their own stablecoin initiatives.

The corporate push has extended to the venture capital sector. Investors are increasingly directing capital toward stablecoin infrastructure firms.

Recent investment rounds have backed Telcoin, Hercle, and Arx Research, each focusing on stablecoin integration, compliance tooling, or ecosystem expansion.

This wave of activity suggests stablecoins are evolving from speculative assets to functional tools for large-scale financial operations.

Visa’s roadmap indicates that stablecoin-based payouts are not a one-off experiment but part of a strategic reorientation. Select partners are currently piloting the programme, with broader access planned for 2026.

That timeline coincides with expected improvements in blockchain scalability and regulatory harmonisation.

Embedding stablecoin wallet options within mainstream payment systems could normalise digital currency usage for payrolls and operational transfers.

Visa is shaping an environment in which digital wallets coexist with traditional bank accounts, not as replacements but as parallel conduits for value.

With infrastructure solidifying and regulatory barriers declining, Visa’s USDC pilot represents a notable convergence of enterprise finance and decentralised technologies.

It reflects an accelerating shift where stablecoins become viable instruments for real-world economic coordination.

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