Visa has launched intra-bank settlements in USDC stablecoin in the US.

Visa, the international payment system, has taken another step toward integrating digital assets into the traditional financial infrastructure. Starting Tuesday, December 16, its banking partners in the United States began enabling intra-bank settlements in USDC, the dollar-denominated stablecoin. This new feature is primarily aimed at financial institutions and is not yet directly accessible to retail clients.

Initial Participants and Technological Base

Cross River Bank and Lead Bank were pioneers of the new settlement model. These banks already have experience working with stablecoins and conduct transactions on the Solana blockchain ecosystem, which allowed them to relatively quickly join Visa’s initiative. The use of a public blockchain ensures high transaction processing speeds and transparency between participants.

24/7 Settlements

Visa emphasized that the new settlement model is available throughout the United States 24/7, including weekends and holidays. This is one of the key advantages of stablecoins compared to traditional bank transfers, which are often dependent on the operating hours of financial institutions and clearing systems. The payment processor plans to roll out the service on a larger scale in 2026.

Prospects for Retail Clients

While USDC settlements are currently only available at the interbank level, Visa does not rule out the possibility of introducing retail products. If Cross River Bank, Lead Bank, or other partners develop services for end users, Visa promises to provide accelerated transaction processing and lower costs compared to traditional payment instruments.

Stablecoins as an Element of Programmable Finance

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney previously stated that the company is actively testing stablecoin settlements through the Visa Direct service and is using the Visa Tokenized Asset platform to develop «new forms of programmable finance.» According to him, during the pilot projects, Visa has already processed stablecoin transactions worth over $200 million.

The launch of intra-bank settlements in USDC confirms Visa’s commitment to occupying a key position at the intersection of traditional payments and blockchain technologies, gradually preparing the market for the wider use of digital currencies.