Visa Lets Select U.S. Bank Partners Settle VisaNet Obligations in USDC

Visa’s U.S. settlement service lets select issuer and acquirer partners settle VisaNet obligations with Visa using USD Coin (USDC) seven days a week. Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, the initial participants, began settling over Solana. Visa announced the service on Dec. 16, 2025, and said it would not change the consumer card experience.

The seven-day schedule compares with a traditional five-business-day settlement window. Visa’s card-processing model separates authorization, clearing and settlement; the USDC service covers the settlement stage between participating financial institutions and Visa. Visa did not specify the currency or timing of merchant payouts under the arrangement.

“Financial institutions are looking for faster, programmable settlement options that integrate seamlessly with their existing treasury operations,” said Rubail Birwadker, Visa’s global head of growth products and strategic partnerships.

The bank-to-network settlement service is distinct from stablecoin-linked card programs that let customers spend stablecoin balances.

A separate cross-border pilot announced by Lloyds Banking Group on Sept. 30, 2026, settled $750,000 in U.S. dollar obligations with Visa using USDC. Funds reached Visa in under an hour, including over the weekend. That result applies to the Lloyds pilot; it does not establish the timing of the U.S. Solana arrangement or merchant payouts.

“Stablecoins could be particularly valuable for cross-border payments, where moving money between markets, currencies and infrastructures can add time and complexity,” said Peter Left, Lloyds Banking Group’s head of digital assets.