Visa Doubles Down on Stablecoins: Expands to Stellar & Avalanche for Faster, Cheaper Payments

Visa just fired another shot across traditional finance's bow—this time by bridging two more blockchain highways for stablecoin settlements.

Stellar and Avalanche join the party

The payments giant quietly activated USDC settlement capabilities on both chains this week, letting institutions move value at internet speed. No more waiting for banking hours—or paying SWIFT's medieval tolls.

Why it matters

This isn't just about adding lanes to the crypto superhighway. Visa's playing 4D chess while banks still struggle with checkers. Every new chain integration squeezes legacy rails harder—and proves stablecoins aren't just for crypto degens anymore.

The kicker? These moves come as JPMorgan's 'blockchain-is-useless' research team quietly backpedals. But hey, at least their stablecoin still exists... theoretically.

A Bit of Everything

In a press release shared with investors, Visa, the world’s second-largest card payment organization, announced that it’s adding support for two additional USD-backed stablecoins, two blockchains, and the euro-backed EURC.

The company has partnered with Paxos, which will bring two additional stablecoins to its roster – the Global Dollar (USDG) and PayPal USD (PYUSD).

In addition to already supporting the ethereum and Solana blockchains, the new additions include Stellar and Avalanche. Moreover, the variety of stablecoins increases with the inclusion of Circle’s stablecoin, EURC.

“Visa is building a multi-coin and multi-chain foundation to help meet the needs of our partners worldwide,” said Rubail Birwadker, Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships. “We believe that when stablecoins are trusted, scalable, and interoperable, they can fundamentally transform how money moves around the world.”

The firm’s network has now integrated a total of four stablecoins and four blockchains, following years of real-world pilots and partnerships.

One notable example is their union with Bridge earlier this year, part of Stripe, which enables stablecoin-linked Visa cards to be used at any merchant location in Latin America that accepts them. Bridge deducts the needed funds and converts them to local fiat, essentially mimicking regular transactions.

A Driving Force

There’s no denying that stablecoins have become a staple in institutions adopting cryptocurrency, as their market cap has doubled since the start of last year, according to current data from DefiLlama, now standing at over $265 billion.

According to the Ivy Analytics platform, 90% of businesses in 2025 have tested or used stablecoins, primarily for reducing cross-border payment costs and liquidity management.

The GENIUS Act, which was signed into law last month, introduced regulatory frameworks and provided assurance for corporations, governments, and everyday investors.

Major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Citi, among others, have publicly shared their ideas for exploring or incorporating stablecoins into their everyday operations.