Visa Deepens Crypto Push With New Stablecoin Strategy Practice
What Is Visa’s New Stablecoin Advisory Practice?
Visa has launched a “stablecoins advisory practice” to support banks, fintechs, merchants and corporates that are exploring stablecoin products or payment flows. The unit, housed inside Visa Consulting & Analytics, will provide training, market assessments, use-case sizing, and technical planning for firms evaluating how stablecoins fit into their businesses.
The rollout comes as Visa reports a $3.5 billion annualized run rate in stablecoin settlement volume. The company said rising interest from financial institutions prompted the creation of a dedicated advisory group, noting that stablecoins have become one of the most active areas inside its consulting division.
“Having a comprehensive stablecoins strategy is critical in today’s digital landscape,” said Carl Rutstein, global head of Visa Consulting & Analytics. “We are proud to help our clients stay agile and competitive as this space evolves at an unprecedented pace.”
Investor Takeaway
Visa is moving beyond pilot programs and treating stablecoins as core infrastructure. By creating an advisory arm, the company is setting up a pipeline for enterprise-level adoption.
Which Firms Are Already Using the Service?
Visa said early participants include Navy Federal Credit Union, Pathward and VyStar Credit Union. Navy Federal, which serves nearly 15 million members worldwide, is reviewing how stablecoins might fit into its payments strategy. Its senior vice president, Matt Freeman, said the credit union is evaluating the role stablecoins could play across its product set.
Pathward president Anthony Sharett said the bank received “impressive work, insights, and actionable recommendations” as part of its early engagement with Visa. The company did not disclose the focus areas of each client but noted that most early interest centers on settlement flows, cross-border use cases, liquidity operations and member benefits.
Visa said the advisory unit is open to both regulated financial institutions and large enterprises seeking to build on-chain payment functions or integrate stablecoin rails into existing products.
How Does This Fit Into Visa’s Stablecoin Strategy?
The advisory launch extends years of work Visa has been doing around stablecoins and tokenized money. In 2023, the company piloted USDC-based settlement on select merchant transactions. It now supports more than 130 card-issuing programs linked to stablecoins across more than 40 countries.
Visa is also testing stablecoin-based cross-border payouts through Visa Direct. Qualified businesses can pre-fund transfers and deliver funds to users’ stablecoin wallets rather than traditional bank accounts. The company said this flow is especially relevant for marketplaces, global payroll providers and remittance firms seeking faster disbursements.
Stablecoins have gained traction as a practical tool for payments, trading and remittances, and are now widely viewed as one of crypto’s most active use cases. Total stablecoin market capitalization recently climbed above $300 billion, reflecting high on-chain payment activity across both retail users and institutions.
Investor Takeaway
Stablecoins are no longer experimental for global payments networks. Visa’s stablecoin settlement run rate and advisory buildout suggest wider integration is underway.
Why Are Financial Institutions Paying Closer Attention?
Traditional finance firms have increased their work with tokenized deposits and on-chain settlement tools. JPMorgan has been running intraday and cross-border settlement through tokenized bank deposits on its private blockchain. Payment companies such as Stripe are adding stablecoin payout options for global freelancers and merchants.
Regulatory clarity has also played a role. The GENIUS Act, passed in July, created a national framework in the U.S. for issuing and supervising stablecoins. The law gives banks and fintechs clearer ground to build products tied to fiat-backed tokens.
Forecasts for the market vary, but several institutions expect strong growth. Citi projected stablecoins could reach $1.9 trillion by 2030 under its base case, with potential for $4 trillion in a more aggressive scenario. Standard Chartered estimated stablecoins could reach $2 trillion by 2028.
Visa’s advisory practice sits at the intersection of these trends: rising enterprise demand, clearer rules, and the shift toward on-chain value transfer inside global payment systems.
What Comes Next?
Visa expects more banks and large merchants to explore stablecoins as a method for settlement, payouts and user benefits. The company said its advisory team will continue adding sector-specific workstreams as interest grows across credit unions, challenger banks, payment processors and cross-border platforms.
With settlement volume already crossing a multi-billion-dollar annual pace, Visa’s next phase will focus on scaling on-chain rails for commercial use and building direct links between stablecoins and existing card networks.