Visa Doubles Down: Launches Dedicated Stablecoin Advisory Unit in Major Crypto Expansion

Visa isn't just dipping a toe in the crypto waters anymore—it's building a bridge. The global payments giant just launched a specialized stablecoin advisory unit, signaling a strategic pivot from cautious experimentation to full-throttle infrastructure development.

The Advisory Play: More Than Just Talk

This isn't about issuing a press release and waiting. The new unit is a hands-on consultancy, designed to guide financial institutions and merchants through the messy, regulatory thicket of integrating dollar-pegged digital currencies. Think of it as Visa offering a blueprint for the future of programmable money—and charging for the architect's fee.

Why Stablecoins? Follow the Volume

The move is a cold, calculated bet on transaction flow. While crypto's wild price swings make headlines, stablecoins have quietly become the workhorses of the digital asset world, processing over a trillion dollars in settlement volume last year alone. Visa sees a pipeline, and it's laying claim to the tollbooth.

The Bigger Picture: Bypassing the Old Guard

This advisory push cuts straight to the heart of traditional finance's slowest links. By championing stablecoins, Visa effectively sidelines the correspondent banking network—a system so antiquated it makes sending a fax look efficient. It's a masterclass in leveraging new tech to eat your competitors' lunch, served with a side of 24/7 settlement.

The closer? A giant like Visa building dedicated teams for crypto isn't a trend—it's a tidal shift. The old guard of finance is finally realizing that the real money isn't in betting on Bitcoin's price, but in selling the picks and shovels for the entire digital economy. Even if half their clients still think 'blockchain' is a new type of bike lock.

Visa Expands Advisory Services

Sources indicate the advisory practice will provide market-fit assessments, strategy development, go-to-market planning, and technical enablement.

Visa has even launched a specialized stablecoin course via Visa University to train clients on the fundamentals and practical application of these digital assets.

The service aims to help organizations MOVE from pilot programs to fully operational stablecoin systems while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.

BREAKING: Visa launches Stablecoin Advisory Practice

Every bank is asking the same question right now: “What’s our stablecoin strategy?”

And when they don’t know the answer, who do they call?

Their card network.

—

Visa just formalized what was probably happening…

— Simon Taylor (@sytaylor) December 15, 2025

Early Clients And Market Context

Based on reports, several US financial institutions are among the first clients, including Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar Credit Union, and Pathward.

The digital payments technology company has reported that its stablecoin settlement volume has reached an annualized run rate of roughly $3.5 billion as of late November 2025. The company supports over 130 stablecoin-linked card programs across more than 40 countries.

The overall stablecoin market has surpassed $250 billion in total value, highlighting strong interest from both retail and institutional participants.

Reports show Visa has been piloting stablecoin settlements for several years, including early work with USDC in 2023. Partnerships with firms like Aquanow have expanded settlement capabilities in regions such as Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Visa also experimented with initiatives allowing businesses to make cross-border payments using stablecoins for pre-funding, in an effort to lower transaction costs and manage liquidity.

According to analysts quoted in news reports, the use of stablecoins by banks and fintechs for various purposes such as cross-border payments and business-to-business payments is being explored.

The advisory service offered by Visa assists the traditional firm in understanding the options available to them while implementing controls and incorporating new technology into existing payment systems. Such overall expertise in technology and regulations puts the company on their advisory panel to pilot their stablecoin offering.

Featured image from Wikimedia, chart from TradingView