Visa has partnered with digital-asset infrastructure provider Aquanow to expand its stablecoin-based settlement capabilities across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, according to Yahoo Finance. The agreement integrates Aquanow’s settlement technology directly into Visa’s systems. It enables banks, fintechs, issuers, and acquirers in the Visa network to settle transactions using approved stablecoins, including USDC.
The companies say the move is designed to reduce friction, cost and time in cross-border settlement. Traditional correspondent banking systems rely on cut-off times, intermediaries and multiple currency conversions, which can delay fund movement. By contrast, stablecoin rails can operate around the clock, allowing near-instant settlement regardless of time zone.
Stablecoin settlement volume rising
Visa has already been testing stablecoin settlement in earlier pilots, including programmes allowing companies to pre-fund accounts using USDC. Monthly stablecoin settlement volumes on Visa infrastructure now imply more than 2.5 billion dollars in annualised activity, according to Yahoo Finance.
The company expects that faster settlement could reduce liquidity and operational costs for its partners. Lower overheads also make Visa’s network more attractive to banks, neobanks and fintech companies that need cheaper cross-border payment options. This could expand Visa’s client base in high-growth regions across CEMEA.
For Visa, stablecoin settlement strengthens its position as a global payments hub as digital assets become more integrated into mainstream finance. Analysts say the company could gain additional recurring revenue from higher transaction volumes and settlement fees, offering a long-term competitive edge over payment firms that rely only on legacy infrastructure.