Visa is increasingly making inroads into the digital asset space with an initiative that could transform how businesses move money across borders. At SIBOS 2025, the payments giant announced a pilot program allowing businesses to use stablecoin as a pre-funding option on Visa Direct, its real-time payments platform.
Breaking with slow cross-border systems
For decades, cross-border payments have been hampered by traditional networks that often required businesses to deposit large sums of money upfront. This approach not only tied up capital but also slowed down treasury operations. Visa’s pilot project aims to break this trend. By pre-funding with stablecoins rather than fiat currencies, institutions can guarantee payment coverage while maintaining cash flow flexibility.
For now, this solution is aimed at businesses. However, Visa could offer a similar solution for individuals. It could then make it easier to pay online on e-commerce sites or on gaming platforms where fast payments are important, such as online casinos. For now, most crypto casinos allow payments through e-wallets. To try out such sites, find the full list here: retrouvez la liste complète ici : https://www.coinspeaker.com/fr/guides/crypto-casino/. These casinos already use crypto to enable instant, low-fee cross-border payments.
Chris Newkirk, President of Commerce and Money Transfer Solutions at Visa, put it bluntly: “Cross-border payments have been stuck in outdated systems for far too long. Visa Direct’s new stablecoin integration paves the way for instant money flow around the world, giving businesses more choice in how they pay.”
Why are stablecoins important for liquidity?
The stablecoin approach has several potential benefits. First, it frees up liquidity by freeing businesses from the need to lock up their balances in fiat currency. Second, it modernises treasury operations, allowing institutions to transfer funds in minutes instead of days. Finally, stablecoins can serve as a predictable settlement layer, protecting businesses from the volatility of local currencies, which often creates challenges for their international operations.
These advantages increase the appeal of stablecoins and are part of a broader evolution in payments, where blockchain-based assets are increasingly being explored as reliable tools rather than speculative instruments. For Visa, this means combining the global reach of its trusted network with the programmability of digital currencies.
How does the pilot project work?
Businesses pre-fund their Visa Direct accounts using stablecoins, which Visa treats like cash in the bank. The funds are then available for payments worldwide, with recipients continuing to receive their payments in their local currency.
This initiative is primarily aimed at banks, money transfer service providers, and financial institutions that need faster and more flexible solutions to manage global liquidity.
Conclusion
While still in its early stages, Visa’s stablecoin pre-funding pilot could mark a turning point for cross-border transactions. If successful, it promises not only to reduce friction and unlock liquidity but also to demonstrate how traditional payments giants are embracing blockchain technology to serve businesses in a rapidly evolving economy.
