Payment company Visa will launch a pilot project for prepayments in stablecoins through its Visa Direct service. The initiative aims to expedite international transactions for businesses and modernize treasury operations.
According to Visa representatives, existing cross-border payment systems are slow and require significant amounts to be frozen in fiat. The new mechanism will allow companies to avoid reserving large balances in advance, thus freeing up capital. As a result, financial institutions will be able to move funds in minutes rather than days.
“Cross-border payments have relied on outdated systems for too long. The new integration of stablecoins into Visa Direct lays the foundation for instant money transfers worldwide,” said Chris Newkirk, Visa’s President of Commercial and Money Movement Solutions.
Companies will be able to make prepayments to Visa Direct accounts in stablecoins instead of fiat currency. The system will treat these assets as available funds for payouts.
The new option is designed for banks, money transfer systems, and other financial institutions that require fast liquidity management solutions.
End recipients will still receive funds in their local currency.
Visa is currently testing the solution with select partners. A limited rollout for a broader range of participants is scheduled for April 2026.
Back in May, the company invested in the UK startup BVNK, which is developing infrastructure for stablecoin transactions.
In July, the payment giant expanded its settlement platform by adding support for new stablecoins and blockchains.