Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement Pilot to Nine Blockchains, Hits $7B Annual Run Rate

Visa’s Stablecoin Settlement Pilot Expands to Nine Blockchains

Visa announced on April 29 that its stablecoin settlement pilot now supports nine blockchains, including the newly added Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo. The pilot previously supported Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana, and Stellar. The company reported that the annualized settlement run rate has reached $7 billion, marking a 50% increase from the prior quarter.

The expansion underscores Visa’s push to integrate stablecoins into its back-end payment infrastructure, which handles settlements between issuers, acquirers, banks, program managers, and treasury systems—layers of the payment process typically invisible to consumers. This development signals a shift toward stablecoins as a parallel settlement option within existing payment systems that already connect banks, card programs, and merchants globally.

Stablecoins Entering the Back Office First

While consumers may not yet see stablecoins at the checkout, Visa’s pilot is testing their role in the settlement layer—the critical infrastructure that moves value after a transaction is authorized. The company emphasized that this is an operational evolution, with crypto adoption advancing in the back office before becoming visible in everyday transactions.

Visa’s pilot remains bounded by its own terms, and specific details—such as the split by chain, stablecoin type, partner, and geography—remain undisclosed. This keeps the initiative as an optional settlement rail, with traditional settlement methods still part of the stack.

How Visa Built Toward Nine Blockchains

Visa’s journey toward supporting nine blockchains in its stablecoin pilot began years ago. In 2023, the company moved millions of USDC between partners over Solana and Ethereum to settle fiat-denominated VisaNet payments. This followed an earlier pilot with Crypto.com and expanded to merchant acquirers like Worldpay and Nuvei.

In December 2025, U.S. issuer and acquirer partners gained the ability to settle with Visa in USDC. Initially, Cross River Bank and Lead Bank settled over Solana, citing benefits such as faster funds movement, seven-day availability, and resilience across weekends and holidays.

Stablecoin-Linked Card Programs Surpass 130 Globally

The April 2026 release also linked the blockchain expansion to Visa’s stablecoin-linked card programs, which now number over 130 programs across more than 50 countries. This broader adoption suggests that stablecoins are becoming a core part of Visa’s payment operating model, extending beyond experimental ledger use cases.

Why Settlement Rails Matter in the Payment Industry

The shift toward stablecoins in settlement infrastructure reflects a larger trend in global payments. While consumers may not yet notice the change, the battle over how money moves is already underway. Stablecoins are poised to compete with traditional settlement methods, offering speed, efficiency, and accessibility—especially in cross-border transactions.

Visa’s pilot is a key indicator of this evolution, demonstrating how blockchain technology is being integrated into legacy financial systems. The company’s focus on settlement rails, rather than just consumer-facing applications, highlights the strategic importance of stablecoins in the future of payments.