Visa is expanding its stablecoin settlement network by adding five new blockchains, pushing its annualized run rate to $7 billion.
Key Takeaways
- Visa now supports nine blockchains after adding Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo.
- Stablecoin settlement run rate reached $7 billion, growing 50% quarter over quarter.
- Expansion reflects a shift toward multi chain payment infrastructure.
- Stablecoins are emerging as a practical tool for faster global settlement.
What Happened?
Visa announced it is expanding its global stablecoin settlement pilot by adding five new blockchain networks. The move brings the total supported chains to nine and highlights growing momentum in stablecoin based payments.
The company said the pilot has reached a $7 billion annualized settlement run rate, signaling increasing adoption among financial institutions and payment providers.
LATEST: @Visa expands its stablecoin settlement pilot to nine blockchains, adding @base, @0xPolygon, @circle‘s @Arc, @CantonNetwork and @Tempo. pic.twitter.com/6sThnDCFBG
— CoinDesk (@CoinDesk) April 29, 2026
Visa Pushes Deeper Into Multi Chain Settlement
Visa is strengthening its position in the stablecoin ecosystem by adding Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo to its settlement pilot. These networks join Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana, and Stellar, giving partners a broader set of options tailored to different use cases.
The expansion reflects a clear shift toward a multi chain strategy, where liquidity and activity are spread across different blockchain ecosystems. By supporting multiple networks, Visa aims to simplify settlement while allowing partners to choose infrastructure that fits their needs.
Rubail Birwadker, Visa’s global head of growth products and strategic partnerships, said:
He added that Visa’s role is to provide a common settlement layer across these networks.
Stablecoins Move From Testing to Real Use
Visa’s latest update shows that stablecoins are no longer just experimental tools. Instead, they are becoming a practical way to move money globally, especially in cross border payments.
The company has been running pilots and regional rollouts across Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It has also expanded USDC settlement to U.S. banks and supports more than 130 stablecoin linked card programs in over 50 countries.
These developments indicate that stablecoin infrastructure is slowly integrating with traditional finance systems rather than replacing them outright.
Industry Competition and Regulatory Tailwinds
Visa’s move comes as competition in the stablecoin space intensifies. Payment giants like Mastercard are also pushing into stablecoin-linked payments, including integrations with crypto wallets such as MetaMask.
At the same time, fintech firms are building supporting infrastructure. For example, Modern Treasury recently integrated with Polygon to help businesses move stablecoin payments faster.
Regulatory clarity is also playing a role. In the United States, the passage of the GENIUS Act has created clearer rules for payment stablecoins, encouraging more companies to enter the space.
Meanwhile, the total value of stablecoins in circulation has surpassed $320 billion, reflecting rapid growth and rising demand for blockchain-based payment solutions.
Why This Matters for Global Payments?
Visa’s expansion highlights how stablecoins are being positioned as a complement to traditional payment rails. While the current $7 billion run rate is small compared to Visa’s overall volume, the growth rate signals strong future potential.
The company is not attempting to replace existing systems overnight. Instead, it is building a flexible layer that allows institutions to use stablecoins where they offer clear advantages, such as faster settlement, lower costs, and 24 hour availability.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
From my perspective, this is one of the clearest signs that stablecoins are moving into the financial mainstream. I have seen many pilots in crypto that never go beyond testing, but Visa scaling this to a $7 billion run rate tells a different story.
What stands out to me is the multi chain approach. Instead of betting on a single blockchain, Visa is positioning itself as a bridge across ecosystems. In my experience, this is the smartest move because the future of finance will not be built on just one network.
I also believe this puts pressure on competitors. As more institutions experiment with stablecoin settlement, the race to control the infrastructure layer is only going to get more intense.
