At SIBOS 2025, Visa announced it will launch a stablecoin prefunding pilot through Visa Direct, giving businesses a new way to move money globally.

With this pilot, Visa Direct is testing stablecoins as a new funding source. The goal: reduce friction, unlock faster access to liquidity and give financial institutions more flexibility in how they manage global payouts.

“Cross-border payments have been stuck in outdated systems for far too long,” said Chris Newkirk, President, Commercial & Money Movement Solutions, Visa. “Visa Direct’s new stablecoins integration lays the groundwork for money to move instantly across the world, giving businesses more choice in how they pay.”

How the pilot works

• Stablecoin pre-funding: Businesses pre-fund Visa Direct with stablecoins instead of fiat to cover payouts. Visa treats those stablecoins as “money in the bank,” making funds available for payout.
• Who it’s for: Banks, remitters and financial institutions that need faster, more flexible ways to manage liquidity across borders.
• Availability: Visa is working with select partners that meet the pilot criteria. We plan to expand the pilot in 2026.

The Visa Direct stablecoin pilot builds on Visa’s broader commitment to building the future of money movement: one that is faster, more flexible and designed for the digital-first world. By combining the scale and trust of Visa’s global network with the programmability of blockchain and by partnering with leading payment providers on prefunding use cases, Visa is helping modernize cross-border payments for businesses, financial institutions and consumers worldwide.