Visa just showed its stablecoin numbers, and they're bigger than most people think

@Visa has quietly built one of the largest stablecoin settlement operations in traditional finance, and the latest figures suggest the momentum is accelerating.

A $7 Billion Run Rate

Visa has moved billions of dollars in stablecoins across VisaNet, reaching an annualized run rate of approximately $7 billion as of March 2026. That figure is up 50% since the prior quarter, a pace that signals the program has moved well beyond the pilot phase. To put the scale in perspective, Visa processed $14.2 trillion in payments in 2025, meaning roughly one in every $2,000 is now settled in stablecoins.

The program lets issuers and acquirers settle transactions in stablecoins instead of through traditional banking rails. Rather than waiting days for funds to move through banking systems, partners can settle transactions using blockchain-based dollars that move in near real time. The network now spans nine blockchains, including Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo, alongside existing support for Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana, and Stellar.

CEMEA Volumes Up Nearly 60x

Stablecoin settlement volumes in the CEMEA region have grown nearly 60-fold since Visa introduced the capability there a year ago. The region, covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing markets for the initiative. Tokenized transactions in CEMEA have also risen sharply, from 26% of transactions in 2023 to 70% in 2026.

Globally, more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs are either live or under development, enabling consumers and businesses to spend stablecoin balances wherever Visa is accepted. With issuing banks already settling seven days a week on-chain, Visa is working to extend that seven-day settlement to acquirers, increasing flexibility across the entire ecosystem.

The numbers reflect a broader shift in how large payment networks are approaching blockchain infrastructure. As @Visa's Chief Executive put it at the company's Payments Forum: "Stablecoins are reshaping the back end" of commerce, with the network's role being to make that work at global scale.

Sources:
Visa Official Press Release: Visa Accelerates Stablecoin Momentum
The Block: Visa Stablecoin Settlement Hits $7 Billion Run Rate
Visa CEMEA: AI, Token, and Stablecoin Capabilities Press Release