Visa Moves Stablecoin Settlement Live on Ethereum, Turning Blockchain Into Core Payment Infrastructure

Visa has officially transitioned its stablecoin settlement system into live production on the Ethereum network, marking a decisive shift from pilot experiments to full-scale operational use of blockchain for real-world payments.

This move positions blockchain not as a side test, but as a core settlement rail inside Visa’s global payments architecture.

Ethereum Becomes Visa’s Core Settlement Layer

In Visa’s updated multi-chain strategy, Ethereum now serves as the foundational “anchor layer” for high-value and security-sensitive transactions. The choice reflects Ethereum’s deep liquidity, long operational history, and high decentralization, critical attributes for settlement infrastructure handling institutional-scale value.

Unlike earlier proof-of-concept programs, this integration is fully live and permanent. As of early 2026, Visa’s on-chain settlement system has already processed more than $3.5 billion in annualized stablecoin volume, signaling meaningful adoption beyond experimentation.

24/7 Settlement Using USDC

The production rollout uses USDC on Ethereum, allowing Visa and its partners to settle transactions around the clock—including weekends and holidays—without relying on traditional banking cut-off times.

This represents a structural upgrade over legacy correspondent banking, where settlement delays can stretch across multiple business days, especially for cross-border flows.

A Deliberate Multi-Chain Architecture

While Ethereum handles the most security-critical settlement flows, Visa is not relying on a single blockchain. Instead, it has designed a purpose-driven, multi-chain routing system:

• Solana and Avalanche are used for low-latency, high-throughput institutional settlements, where speed is paramount.
• Stellar is optimized for cross-border payments and remittances, aligning with its long-standing role in international transfers.

This approach allows Visa to balance security, speed, and specialization, rather than forcing all transactions onto a single network.

Strategic Context and What Comes Next

The Ethereum deployment builds on Visa’s earlier rollout of USDC settlement for U.S. financial institutions in late 2025, which initially leveraged Solana. Expanding to Ethereum in 2026 signals a clear escalation: blockchain is now being treated as production-grade financial infrastructure, not an emerging experiment.

Visa has also joined Circle as a design partner for the upcoming Arc network, a payments-focused Layer-1 blockchain. Visa plans to operate a validator node in the future, deepening its role inside on-chain payment ecosystems rather than remaining a passive user.

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