Visa launches stablecoin advisory service for banks and merchants

With the growing use of stablecoins in payments, Visa has introduced a new consulting service to help financial institutions, technology providers, merchants and businesses evaluate and implement stablecoin-based solutions. Offered by Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA), this service provides advice on practical use cases, strategic planning and execution, leveraging Visa's payments expertise and market knowledge.

Visa supports businesses in stablecoins

Visa's stablecoin advisory practice is designed to assist organizations with the growing use of stablecoins and evolving regulatory standards. The service provides advice on market fit, strategy and operational implementation, enabling businesses to seize opportunities in this emerging sector.

The growth of the stablecoin market reinforces the need for such services. This sector has grown considerably, now exceeding $318 billion in total value, according to CoinMarketCap, while Visa's settlement volume using stablecoins reached an annual rate of $3.5 billion as of November 30. This growth reflects growing corporate interest in adopting stablecoins to streamline payments and settlements.

Early adopters of Visa's service include Navy Federal Credit Union, Pathward and VyStar Credit Union. Matt Freeman, senior vice president at Navy Federal, said stablecoins could offer faster payments and lower costs. With support from Visa, the credit union is exploring how stablecoins could fit into its broader strategy to provide value to its 15 million members worldwide.

A service designed for adoption

Visa's advisory practice draws on expertise of its global team of consultants, analysts and product specialists to provide comprehensive advice, which includes:

• Conducting training and programs on stablecoin trends, as well as a course from Visa University, to help organizations understand market developments and emerging opportunities.
• Assisting businesses in creating strategies, planning market entry, and evaluating potential applications to ensure stablecoin solutions align with their goals.
• Supporting the technical integration of stablecoins into existing systems to enable smooth adoption and operational efficiency.

Visa and the growing stablecoin market

This initiative builds on Visa's ongoing efforts to advance digital payment systems. The company was among the first payment networks to test stablecoin settlement using USDC in 2023. Today, it operates more than 130 stablecoin-related card programs in more than 40 countries, reflecting its growing role in this area.

Beyond Visa's efforts, stablecoins are increasingly being adopted by consumers and institutions for payments, trading and remittances, with clearer regulation helping to build trust. In the United States, the GENIUS Act, passed in July, established rules for the issuance and supervision of stablecoins, providing banks and fintech companies with stronger assurance to explore new applications.

With adoption increasing and regulation providing clarity, large financial institutions including JPMorgan are exploring tokenized deposits to speed up both domestic and international settlements, while payments providers such as Visa and Stripe are evaluating stablecoins as a way to reduce costs and speed up transactions.

In terms of future growth, the stablecoin market has significant potential. Standard Chartered predicts it could reach around $2 trillion by 2028, while Citi anticipates a scenario of $1.9 trillion by 2030, with potential to rise to $4 trillion under more optimistic conditions.