Visa has officially rolled out its USDC settlement service for U.S. financial institutions on December 16, 2025, expanding its use of blockchain infrastructure within core payment operations.
The launch follows a global pilot program that achieved an annualized stablecoin settlement volume of $3.5 billion as of November 30, 2025.
With this move, Visa enables select U.S. banks to settle transactions directly in Circle’s USDC stablecoin, replacing traditional fiat-based settlement rails with blockchain technology.
First U.S. Banks Go Live
The initial participants in the U.S. rollout are Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, both of which have already begun settling Visa transactions using USDC. These settlements are executed on the Solana blockchain, chosen for its high throughput and low transaction costs.
By using Solana, Visa is able to process settlements quickly while maintaining predictable performance, even at higher volumes.
Faster Settlement And Improved Liquidity
One of the key advantages of the new system is seven-day-a-week settlement, a significant shift from the standard five-business-day fiat settlement cycle. This allows participating institutions to move funds more rapidly, reduce idle capital, and improve liquidity management.
Operational efficiency also improves, as blockchain-based settlement reduces friction associated with legacy banking cutoffs and reconciliation delays.
Expansion Planned Through 2026
Visa has indicated that this launch is only the beginning. The company plans to onboard additional U.S. financial institutions throughout 2026, gradually expanding access to USDC-based settlement across its domestic partner network.
Part Of A Broader Blockchain Strategy
The U.S. deployment represents a major step in Visa’s long-term strategy to modernize its settlement infrastructure and connect traditional banking systems with blockchain networks.
As part of this approach, Visa is deepening its collaboration with Circle. The payments giant will act as a lead design partner for Circle’s upcoming Arc blockchain, an enterprise-focused Layer 1 network currently in public testnet. Visa plans to operate a validator node on Arc and support USDC settlement once the network launches.
A Longstanding Role In Stablecoin Adoption
Visa’s involvement with stablecoins dates back several years. The company first tested USDC settlement in 2021 and became one of the first major payment networks to settle live transactions in a stablecoin in 2023.
With the U.S. rollout now live, Visa continues to position itself at the forefront of integrating digital assets into real-world financial infrastructure, reinforcing stablecoins as a functional settlement tool rather than a purely experimental technology.
