Latest Visa Tests Stablecoin Payouts to Speed Payments for Creators, Gig Workers in Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency New Visa Direct pilot lets businesses send dollar-backed stablecoins like USDC to users’ digital wallets for near-instant access to earnings. Updated Nov 12, 2025, 2:36 p.m. Published Nov 12, 2025, 9:52 a.m. Visa is testing a system that lets businesses send payments directly to stablecoin wallets instead of to a card or bank account, the company announced Wednesday at Web Summit in Lisbon. Funds are delivered in dollar-backed stablecoins, such as Circle Internet’s (CRCL) USDC, Visa said. The pilot targets creators, freelancers and gig workers who often face delays in accessing their pay, especially when working across borders. Businesses can fund the payouts in fiat currency, while recipients choose to receive them in stablecoins — digital assets pegged to the U.S. dollar. Visa says the move expands access to money for people in countries with volatile currencies or limited banking infrastructure. Transactions are recorded on public blockchains, allowing for transparency and easier recordkeeping. “Launching stablecoin payouts is about enabling truly universal access to money in minutes — not days — for anyone, anywhere in the world,” said Chris Newkirk, president of Commercial & Money Movement Solutions at Visa. “Whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a business reaching new global markets or a freelancer working across borders, everyone benefits from faster, more flexible money movement.” The program follows Visa’s earlier pilot, which started in September, which allowed businesses to pre-fund payouts using stablecoins. This new phase pushes stablecoin use closer to end users, potentially reshaping how online platforms pay global workers. Visa said it plans a broader rollout in 2026 as regulatory frameworks evolve and client demand increases, extending its efforts to merge blockchain technology with its established global payment network. AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy. More For You OwlTing: Stablecoin Infrastructure for the Future Stablecoin payment volumes have grown to $19.4B year-to-date in 2025. OwlTing aims to capture this market by developing payment infrastructure that processes transactions in seconds for fractions of a cent. View Full Report More For You RWA Specialist Centrifuge Debuts Tokenization Service, Starting with Daylight Decentralized energy network Daylight is the first to use the Centrifuge Whitelabel service, aiming to simplify real-world asset tokenization. What to know: Centrifuge rolled out a tokenization platform dubbed Centrifuge Whitelabel to help institutions, fintechs create tokenized financial products more efficiently. Daylight, a decentralized energy infrastructure startup, is the first to use the platform, creating tokenized vaults for energy assets. The move reflects rising demand for tokenizing assets like credit, energy and private funds. Read full story  » …

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