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Visa Direct Tests Cryptocurrency Payouts for Faster Access to Funds

At the Web Summit, Visa announced a revolutionary pilot program that allows companies and platforms to send payouts directly to recipients’ wallets used for holding stable cryptocurrencies. For companies using Visa Direct, payouts can be funded in fiat currency, while recipients can choose to receive funds in stable cryptocurrencies pegged to the USD, such as USDC, thereby transforming the speed and accessibility of global payouts.

This innovation expands the reach of Visa Direct, providing creators, freelancers, and marketplaces with stable value and faster access to funds, even in markets affected by currency instability or limited banking infrastructure.

– “Launching payouts in stable cryptocurrencies means enabling universal access to money in minutes, not days – for everyone, anywhere in the world,” said Chris Newkirk, President of Visa’s Commercial Solutions and Money Transfer division, adding that “whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a company entering new global markets, or freelancer working across borders, everyone benefits from faster and more flexible money transfers.”

According to new research from Monetized: Visa 2025 Creator Economy Report, faster access to funds was ranked as the primary reason why digital content creators prefer digital payment methods. Fifty-seven percent cited instant access as the leading motivation for choosing digital payment methods for their content creation work.

This latest pilot enhances Visa’s innovation in stable cryptocurrency-based payments. At SIBOS in September, Visa announced a pilot program that allows companies to pre-fund payouts using stable cryptocurrencies, and together these pilot programs unlock access and greater financial flexibility for Visa clients, as well as millions of users worldwide.

Key features of the Visa Direct pilot program for payouts via stable cryptocurrencies include:

  • Continuous convenience: Consumers, creators, and freelancers will be able to access payouts in stable cryptocurrencies almost instantly, without the need to align with bank working hours.
  • Borderless currency for the digital age: Stable cryptocurrencies can enable access to funds in areas where there are insufficient banks or where USD accounts are not available.
  • Increased transparency: Each transaction is permanently recorded on the blockchain, supporting audit, compliance, and receipt confirmation.
  • Expanded access: The pilot is launching with selected partners, and broader implementation is planned for the second half of 2026 as client demand grows and regulatory frameworks advance.
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