Visa is extending its global payment infrastructure presence to the stablecoin sector. The company announced the creation of a new "stablecoin consulting" unit for banks, fintech companies, traders, and large-scale businesses. Located within Visa Consulting & Analytics, this new structure aims to help organizations evaluate their stablecoin strategies, identify the right use cases, and plan technical implementation processes.
Visa's move coincides with a period of rapid growth in the stablecoin market. The total stablecoin market capitalization has exceeded $300 billion. According to the company's own data, the annualized volume of stablecoin settlements conducted through Visa infrastructure reached $3.5 billion as of November 30. This shows that stablecoins are no longer just a tool exclusive to the crypto ecosystem, but have become a payment layer actively adopted by traditional finance.
What is the scope of the consulting service?
The new consulting service covers comprehensive topics such as training programs, market analysis, strategy development, use case modeling, and technical support. Visa aims to reduce the uncertainties that organizations may face when integrating stablecoins into their products or operations. Carl Rutstein, Global Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics, emphasized that having a comprehensive stablecoin strategy has become critical in the digital finance world, and expressed his pleasure in supporting clients in adapting to this rapid transformation.
The first users of the consulting service include US-based Navy Federal Credit Union, Pathward, and VyStar Credit Union. Navy Federal is evaluating how stablecoins can be integrated into its overall payment strategy for approximately 15 million members. On the Pathward side, bank management states that the analysis and recommendations provided by Visa have produced concrete and implementable results. This feedback reveals that Visa's consulting model is not limited to theoretical frameworks but directly touches on business processes.
The new initiative is a continuation of Visa's stablecoin efforts, which have accelerated in recent years. The company conducted settlement trials with Circle's USDC stablecoin in 2023 and today supports over 130 stablecoin-linked card programs in more than 40 countries. They are also testing stablecoin-based cross-border payments via Visa Direct, a system that allows qualified businesses to pre-fund and make direct transfers to users' stablecoin wallets. Stablecoins are often described as the "first real use case" for crypto due to their low cost and fast transfer capabilities. Over the past year, they have been used more intensively by both individual users and institutions for payments, commerce, and money transfers. Traditional financial institutions are also closely following the competition in this area. Banks like JPMorgan are accelerating instant and cross-border settlements with tokenized deposits, while payment giants like Visa and Stripe are integrating stablecoins into their systems for cheaper and more efficient money transfers. The clarity provided on the regulatory side also supports this momentum. The GENIUS Act, which came into effect in the US in July, created a federal framework for stablecoin issuance and regulation, establishing significant trust for banks and fintech companies. Analysts believe the market still holds considerable growth potential. Citi predicts the stablecoin market could reach $1.9 trillion by 2030, with more optimistic scenarios suggesting it could rise to $4 trillion. Standard Chartered, meanwhile, points to a market size of $2 trillion by 2028.
