Visa Pilots USDC Payouts for Creators and Gig Workers
Visa is piloting a new initiative to enable companies to send payments in fiat USD that are received as dollar-pegged stablecoins like USDC. The service, part of Visa Direct, targets platforms in the gig and creator economy, such as TikTok and YouTube, and requires recipients to have a stablecoin wallet and pass AML/KYC checks. The pilot is currently U.S.-based, with broader access expected by the second half of 2026. Visa has been engaging in the stablecoin space through partnerships with Circle, investments in infrastructure companies like BVNK, and support for stablecoin-based crypto credit cards. This move aligns with their vision of an increased role for stablecoins in global lending and payment systems.
Visa Pilots Stablecoin Payment Scheme
Visa is piloting a new scheme that allows companies to send payments directly to recipients' stablecoin wallets while sending conventional fiat USD. Firms will pay in fiat USD, and recipients will receive payments in dollar-pegged stablecoins, such as Circle’s USDC, the second largest stablecoin by capitalization. However, companies won't be able to send stablecoins directly via this scheme.
Service Details and Initial Limitations
Visa has not confirmed if or when support for stablecoins beyond USDC will be added, though it hasn't claimed exclusivity to USDC either. Interested users are required to have both a stablecoin wallet and must pass standard AML/KYC checks. For now, the pilot is limited to platforms and businesses based in the U.S..
Targeted Use Cases
Visa has identified the creator and gig economy as key beneficiaries of this service. For instance, platforms like TikTok or YouTube, which manage small and irregular global payments for millions of users, could greatly benefit, though no specific participants have been officially announced yet.
Partnerships and Timeline
Visa is currently in the process of onboarding partners, with a broader rollout planned for the second half of 2026, subject to local regulations. The scheme is part of Visa Direct, Visa’s payment service enabling transactions through its proprietary payment rails rather than traditional banking systems. While Visa hasn’t disclosed specific payment rails for this service, it has been collaborating with Circle on stablecoin infrastructure recently.
Collaboration with Arc's Network
In October, Circle announced that Visa was participating in its public testnet for Arc, a Layer-1 blockchain network, alongside major companies such as BlackRock and Goldman Sachs. This move further solidifies Visa’s ambitions in the stablecoin space.
Visa's Expanding Stablecoin Investment
Visa made increasingly significant moves in the stablecoin industry during 2025. In May, Visa made a strategic investment in London-based stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK through its Visa Ventures arm. Earlier this month, Visa issued a report forecasting an expanded role for stablecoins in the $40 trillion global credit market, suggesting that stablecoin-based lending could enable traditional institutions to adopt blockchain-based programmable financial systems.
Broader Stablecoin Adoption
Visa, alongside its rival Mastercard, has been actively adding support for stablecoin-based crypto credit cards. Notable examples include partnerships with Rain in the U.S. and Bridge, a Stripe unit, in Latin America. These efforts highlight Visa’s enduring commitment to integrating crypto solutions into mainstream payment ecosystems.