The payment giant's encryption "ambition": Visa plans to add support for four stablecoins, and Western Union will issue USDP on Solana.

Visa is deepening its layout in digital assets, with CEO Ryan McInerney announcing during the fourth quarter earnings call that, as part of its global encryption expansion strategy, Visa will add support for four stablecoins running on four different Blockchains. This move will further expand Visa's digital asset infrastructure and enhance its global payment capabilities. Since 2020, Visa has facilitated over $140 billion in stablecoin and crypto fund flows. At the same time, Western Union announced plans to launch its USD payment Token (USDPT) on the Solana Blockchain in the first half of 2026, marking further mainstream application of stablecoins in the traditional cross-border remittance sector.

Visa's stablecoin ambitions accelerate: from USDC to four new digital assets

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney stated on Tuesday during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that Visa will “increase support for four stablecoins that operate on four unique blockchains, representing two currencies that we can accept and convert into over 25 traditional fiat currencies.” This move highlights Visa's growing belief that stablecoins are the key bridge connecting traditional finance and blockchain payments.

Expand stablecoin integration to drive trillion-dollar fund flows

Visa has not disclosed which stablecoins and networks will be integrated, but this update builds on its existing integrations. Visa currently supports Circle's USDC and Euro Coin (EURC), PayPal's PYUSD, and Global Dollar (USDG), which are distributed across multiple blockchains such as Ethereum, Solana, Stellar, and Avalanche.

• Data supports confidence: McInerney emphasized that there is a “special momentum” in the stablecoin sector. Since 2020, Visa has facilitated over $140 billion in encryption and stablecoin fund flows.
• Growth in card service expenditures: Visa's stablecoin associated card service expenditures have quadrupled year-on-year, with the annualized transaction volume of its stablecoin settlement network exceeding 2.5 billion USD in the most recent quarter.
• Empowering Banks: Visa's next step is to leverage its tokenized asset platform to provide banks with the ability to mint and burn their own stablecoins, and enhance cross-border fund transfers through Visa Direct.

Western Union Enters the Game: USDPT Will Revolutionize Global Remittances on Solana

While Visa is expanding its stablecoin infrastructure, another traditional financial giant, Western Union, has also announced its plans to enter the stablecoin market.

• Launch of USDPT: Western Union plans to launch its dollar payment token (USDPT) on the Solana Blockchain in the first half of 2026.
• Goal: This Token will be issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, aimed at allowing users to transfer funds globally with lower fees and faster settlement speeds, reducing reliance on traditional bank intermediaries and exchange rate fluctuations.
• Choosing Solana: CEO Devin McGranahan described this move as a continuation of Western Union's mission to simplify the transfer of funds for 175 years. He stated that the choice of Solana was due to its key features of high speed, scalability, and low-cost transactions, which are critical for Western Union's bulk remittance business.

Conclusion

Visa plans to add support for four stablecoins and Western Union's announcement to launch USDPT on Solana together marks the rapid transition of stablecoins from cryptocurrency trading tools to the core track of mainstream global payment systems. According to industry data, the global trading volume of stablecoins has soared to $46 trillion, solidifying their position as the fastest-growing component of the digital financial system. The actions of these traditional financial giants have greatly propelled the widespread adoption of digital dollars and blockchain payments in the global business arena.