Visa is running pilot trials of USD-backed stablecoin payouts to creators and gig workers.
The pilot allows businesses and platforms to send payouts directly to recipients’ stablecoin wallets, instead of sending to a card or bank account.
For businesses using Visa Direct, payouts can be funded in fiat currency, while recipients can choose to receive their funds in USD-backed stablecoins like USDC.
“Launching stablecoin payouts is about enabling truly universal access to money in minutes – not days.” says Chris Newkirk, president, commercial & money movement solutions, Visa. “Whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a business reaching new global markets or a freelancer working across borders, everyone benefits from faster, more flexible money movement.”
Recent research from Visa shows that faster access to funds is ranked as the top reason digital content creators prefer using digital payment methods. Fifty-seven percent (57%) cited instant access as their leading motivation for choosing digital payment methods to get paid for content creation work.
This latest pilot advances Visa’s land-grab in stablecoin-powered payments. In September, Visa Direct announced a stablecoin pre-funding pilot for back-end treasury: letting businesses fund payouts using stablecoins instead of only fiat.
Today’s pilot extends that proposition, enabling payouts to end recipients, like consumers, in stablecoins – putting digital dollars directly in recipients’ wallets. Visa says it is in the process of onboarding select partners, with wider access projected for 2026.