Visa’s Stablecoin Surge: A Tale of Four New Coins!

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Visa, that paragon of payment innovation, hath resolved to extend its settlement platform to encompass four novel stablecoins, having observed a most curious surge in demand for such digital delights. 💸

Lo! The following are the notable developments:

  • Visa shall now embrace four stablecoins, each operating on distinct blockchains, thereby expanding its settlement prowess to accommodate two currencies, convertible into over 25 traditional fiat monies. 🧠
  • The company’s coffers have witnessed a fourfold increase in stablecoin-linked card expenditures, a triumph that hath left analysts in a state of mild astonishment. 🤯
  • Visa hath initiated a stablecoin pilot, enabling banks to pre-fund cross-border payments with the swiftness of a well-timed quip. 🚀

During the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Ryan McInerney, with a most solemn countenance, declared that Visa intends to double down on its stablecoin offerings, citing a fourfold rise in stablecoin-linked Visa card spend over the last quarter compared to a year ago. “We are adding support for four stablecoins, running on four unique blockchains, representing two currencies, that we can accept and convert to over 25 traditional fiat currencies,” he intoned, as if reciting a sacred scripture. 📖

No other details regarding the specific stablecoins or the blockchains they will operate on were disclosed, leaving the curious mind to ponder in suspense. 🕵️‍♂️

Visa’s revenue, amounting to $10.72 billion, and earnings of $2.98 per share, did narrowly surpass the expectations of Wall Street, which, one might imagine, was quite relieved. 📈 Even as its core business continues to deliver steady results, the firm has long shown keen interest in stablecoins, which have become an increasingly important settlement rail within the payments market. 🏦

According to a report from the esteemed American venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, released earlier this month, stablecoins processed roughly $46 trillion in transactions over the past year alone, and managed to surpass Visa’s numbers over the same period. A feat most impressive, though one wonders if Visa’s executives were aware of this? 🤔

Visa itself has facilitated nearly $140 billion worth of crypto and stablecoin flows since 2020, as highlighted by McInerney during the earnings call. A testament to its enduring relevance in the ever-evolving world of finance. 💰

At present, Visa already supports major stablecoins like USD Coin (USDC), Euro Coin (EURC), PayPal USD (PYUSD), and Global Dollar (USDG), and hath partnered with several crypto-native firms over the years to expand settlement options and improve its cross-border payment capabilities. A most prudent strategy, though one might question the necessity of so many coins. 🤷‍♂️

“We expanded the number of stablecoins and blockchains available for settlement, and monthly volume has now passed a $2.5 billion annualized run rate,” McInerney added, with the air of a man who believes he has just solved the riddle of the universe. 🧠

Regarding future plans, McInerney said Visa will continue to broaden its stablecoin services for banks and financial institutions while focusing on building more features within its solution layer. “Specifically, the company will focus on tokenization infrastructure that will allow banks to ‘mint and burn their own stablecoins’ using the Visa tokenized asset platform, while also integrating new capabilities to improve ‘cross-border money movement through Visa Direct,’ using stablecoins.” A vision as grand as it is bewildering. 🌀

Visa has launched a stablecoin pilot

Last month, Visa unveiled its stablecoin prefunding pilot under Visa Direct, which allows banks and financial institutions to use stablecoins as a funding source for global payouts, giving them faster access to liquidity without locking capital in multiple currencies. A move as cunning as it is convenient. 💡

Visa may also be eyeing stablecoins’ role within the decentralized lending market, as evidenced by a separate report it published earlier this month. In the report, it noted that on-chain lending with stablecoins has originated over $670 billion in loans since 2020, and said it plans to support this market by providing the technology and infrastructure that banks and institutions need to enter programmable lending. A future as bright as a well-polished coin. 🪙

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2025-10-29 12:10