Stripe Leans Into Stablecoins—Quietly Courts Banking Giants for Global Payments Overhaul

Stripe’s plotting a quiet revolution. The payments giant is in early talks with major banks to integrate stablecoins into its infrastructure—a move that could turbocharge cross-border transactions while sidestepping traditional banking bottlenecks.

Why now? The math’s simple: stablecoins settle in minutes for pennies, while SWIFT takes days and skims percentages. Even Wall Street’s dinosaurs are starting to see the blockchain-shaped writing on the wall.

But don’t expect champagne toasts just yet. Bankers love ‘innovation’—as long as it doesn’t threaten their 3-martini-lunch profit margins. This dance between disruptors and incumbents will decide whether stablecoins become the new plumbing of finance…or just another buzzword buried in JP Morgan’s innovation lab graveyard.

TLDR

• Stripe is bringing stablecoins to global payments.
• USDB and Visa cards make crypto spendable.
• Big banks are now eyeing stablecoin adoption.
• Stripe’s AI cuts fraud and boosts approvals.
• The stablecoin race is on—and Stripe is leading.

Stripe has started discussions with major banks to explore stablecoin integration for faster and cheaper global transactions. The firm plans to expand its digital payments ecosystem by embedding stablecoins into traditional finance. Stripe’s strategy includes infrastructure upgrades, bank partnerships and global stablecoin accounts for business clients.

Banks Warm Up to Stablecoins as Stripe Leads Industry Shift

Several global banks have expressed interest in stablecoin integration following Stripe’s ongoing discussions about implementation. Stripe co-founder John Collison confirmed that banks are exploring stablecoin use cases and do not view them as a passing trend. The talks are informal but mark a growing willingness by institutions to modernize payments infrastructure.

Stripe co-founder John Collison revealed that the company has begun preliminary discussions with banks on how to integrate stablecoins into its Core services. Banks are also actively exploring ways to incorporate stablecoins into their product offerings. https://t.co/HBkRS5ScRG

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) May 30, 2025

Financial giants like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup are evaluating their stablecoin projects to remain competitive. Meanwhile, European institutions such as Société Générale are preparing to launch dollar-backed tokens on public blockchains. Banco Santander is also exploring stablecoins to expand its crypto service offering.

Stripe has assembled a dedicated global team of 100 employees focused on stablecoins and crypto.  It plans to increase hiring in hubs like Dublin, London, and New York. These developments align with rising demand for compliant, blockchain-based payment tools in regulated markets.

Stripe Advances Stablecoin Integration Following $1.1B Acquisition

Stripe initiated stablecoin developments after acquiring Texas-based crypto infrastructure startup Bridge for $1.1 billion in October 2024. Bridge now operates under Stripe and has already launched its stablecoin, USDB, to support real-world payments. Stripe also partnered with Visa to develop a global card that enables stablecoin usage like regular currency.

The payment giant introduced stablecoin financial accounts in 101 countries, targeting corporate clients outside the US, UK and Europe. These accounts support US dollar-backed stablecoins to reduce foreign exchange fees and delays in cross-border payments. This rollout reflects Stripe’s broader ambition to modernize international finance through blockchain technology.

Stripe processes over $1.4 trillion in transactions annually giving it a strong foundation for expanding stablecoin adoption. Its new offerings aim to boost accessibility,  preserve transaction speed and cost-efficiency. Consequently, Stripe expects stablecoins to account for a significant share of future payment volume.

Stablecoin Demand Surges Amid Rising Institutional Adoption

Stablecoins processed $94 billion in transactions from January 2023 to February 2025, reflecting growing demand in global payments. Business-to-business payments alone contributed $36 billion annually, showing strong utility for corporate users. Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC remained the dominant players across ethereum and Tron networks.

As Stripe scales its stablecoin services, competition continues to intensify with PayPal, FIS, and Visa launching similar products. Stripe now enables fintechs to issue stablecoin-linked cards, expanding utility for consumers and businesses.

Stripe also launched an AI-powered system to improve fraud detection and payment approval. Its Payments Foundation Model enhances transaction efficiency while reducing risk. This combination of AI and crypto infrastructure positions Stripe to lead the global shift to digital money.