Now You Can Pay with USDC Anywhere? Visa Brings Stablecoin to 200 Million Stores

Visa has introduced a new platform that helps banks and fintech companies manage stablecoins within their payment infrastructure. 

While the Visa network does cover approximately 200 million merchants, this does not mean that every store already accepts USDC transfers directly from crypto wallets.

Key Takeaways

• The Visa Stablecoin Platform is aimed at banks, fintechs, payment providers, and crypto companies, not traditional consumer payment apps.
• Users can spend stablecoin balances through compatible Visa cards, but merchants generally still accept Visa transactions, not direct USDC transfers.
• Visa's new platform starts with Open USD or OUSD, while USDC has been used in settlement services and stablecoin cards that are already running.

What Is Visa Stablecoin and How Does It Work?

The term "Visa stablecoin" doesn't mean Visa issues a single cryptocurrency called Visa Coin. Rather, it refers to a range of Visa services that connect stablecoins with cards, payments, treasury, remittances, and inter-company settlements.

On July 16, 2026, Visa announced the Visa Stablecoin Platform, or VSP. This platform provides a single, Visa-managed environment for financial institutions, fintechs, payment providers, and crypto companies to store, move, redeem, mint, and burn stablecoins within their operations.

Source: AI Generated Image

VSP also provides wallet infrastructure through its Wallet-as-a-Service service. Companies can use wallets managed within Visa's system or connect their existing wallets.

Some of the platform's key capabilities include:

• Storing and moving stablecoins.
• Mint and redeem supported stablecoins.
• Connecting on-chain wallets with enterprise systems.
• Integrating stablecoins into treasury and settlement.
• Set a list of addresses that are allowed to receive transfers.
• Implement double consent for sensitive actions.
• Provides audit records of activities.
• Connecting stablecoin flows with existing Visa services.

This system hides some of the blockchain's complexities from institutional users. Banks or fintechs don't have to build the entire infrastructure of wallets, access controls, transaction logging, and blockchain connectivity from scratch.

Read also:Record! Visa Takes 90% of On-Chain Card Payments, Crypto Spending Explodes

Visa Stablecoin 200 Million Merchants: What Does It Mean?

The claim that Visa is bringing stablecoins to 200 million merchants should be read with caution. That figure reflects the scale of the payment network accessible through Visa integration, not the number of merchants directly providing wallet addresses to accept USDC.

Visa's network connects approximately 15,000 financial institutions with more than 200 million merchants based on the coverage used in the platform's announcement.

Meanwhile, Visa's official publication regarding stablecoin cards states that Visa accepts over 175 million merchant locations globally. Differences in figures may arise due to merchant calculation methods, acceptance locations, and trading channels used.

In practice, merchants don't need to know that a buyer's funds are sourced from stablecoins. As long as the user has a compatible stablecoin card, the transaction can proceed like a regular card payment.

The flow is more or less as follows:

1. Users store USDC or other stablecoins on apps that provide Visa cards.
2. Users tap, swipe, or enter their card information when paying.
3. The card provider checks the user's stablecoin balance.
4. The value of stablecoins is converted or used to support transactions.
5. The Visa network sends authorization to the merchant's bank or payment provider.
6. Merchants accept payments according to the applicable currency and settlement arrangements.

From the cashier's perspective, the transaction still appears as a Visa payment. Merchants don't always receive USDC into their wallets and don't have to manage private keys, gas fees, or blockchain.

Read also:Visa Focuses on Stablecoin Integration into Payment Systems: A 2026 Trend?

So, Can You Pay with USDC in All Stores Now?

Not yet in the sense of direct transfers from USDC wallets to individual stores. Users can spend stablecoin balances at Visa merchants if they have a card or app that supports stablecoin conversion and payments.

Visa and Bridge have developed a card that allows users to make purchases using stablecoin balances at Visa-accepting locations. As of March 2026, the program was operational in 18 countries and planned to expand to over 100 countries by the end of the year.

Some crypto wallets, including MetaMask and Phantom, also use card integration to provide spending functionality from stablecoin balances.

However, actual capabilities still depend on several things:

• The country where the user resides.
• Card issuer availability.
• App-supported stablecoin.
• Identity verification or KYC results.
• User transaction limits.
• Stablecoin conversion policy.
• Fees and spreads applied by the provider.
• Local crypto payment regulations.

Therefore, the Visa logo in a store doesn't automatically guarantee that all USDC wallets will work. Users need a card product that connects their wallet balance to the Visa network.

Read also:What Is Karma Pay? Solana Wallet, Visa Card, and KARMA Token

What's the Difference Between Direct Payments and Stablecoin Cards?

Stablecoin payments occur instantly when a buyer sends tokens from their wallet to a merchant's wallet. The merchant receives the digital assets without a traditional card transaction.

This model offers on-chain settlement, but requires both parties to understand how to use the wallet. Merchants must also choose a blockchain, secure access, record transactions, and determine whether to hold tokens or convert them to local currency.

Stablecoin cards take a different approach. Users pay through Visa, while the stablecoin serves as the underlying source of funds or settlement asset.

Direct stablecoin payments

Its main features include:

• Merchants must have a wallet.
• The sender needs to select the correct network.
• Transactions are recorded directly on the blockchain.
• Wrong addresses are generally non-reversible.
• Fees depend on the blockchain.
• Consumer protection may be more limited.

Payment via Visa card

Its main features include:

• Merchants simply accept Visa.
• Users use physical or virtual cards.
• Conversion is managed by the issuer or fintech.
• Merchants can accept local currencies.
• The authorization process follows the card payment system.
• Fees may include spreads, card fees, and service charges.

The card approach makes stablecoins easier to use without requiring millions of merchants to change their payment systems. 

However, this system still involves intermediaries and isn't entirely equivalent to peer-to-peer payments on the blockchain.

Read also:The 10 Stablecoins with the Largest Volume in the World

Visa OUSD Stablecoin: Will It Replace USDC?

Visa Stablecoin Platform starts its service with Open USD or OUSD. The stablecoin was introduced by Open Standard, an initiative involving over 140 companies in the finance, technology, payments, and blockchain sectors. Visa is part of the ecosystem, but it is not the sole issuer of OUSD.

Through VSP, companies can gain access to mint, burn, store, move, and redeem Open USD. OUSD is designed as a digital dollar infrastructure for payments and global fund transfers.

However, the adoption of OUSD as VSP's first asset doesn't mean Visa is abandoning USDC. The two have different positions:

• OUSD became the first stablecoin to integrate minting and redemption capabilities on VSP.
• USDC has been used in Visa settlement programs and various stablecoin card products.
• USDG has also been mentioned as part of the assets used in Visa's broader stablecoin strategy.

Visa has enabled several US banks to settle VisaNet obligations using USDC via the Solana blockchain. This model provides settlement 7 days a week without changing the consumer payment experience at merchants.

This means that OUSD is better viewed as an addition to Visa's stablecoin ecosystem, not an automatic replacement for USDC.

Users should also be wary of fake tokens. Don't buy an asset simply because it uses the Open USD name or OUSD symbol. Check the contract address, network, issuer, and official announcements when the stablecoin is actually available.

Read also:Penguin Visa Card: A Complete Explanation of the Pudgy Penguins Card for Crypto Transactions

How do Visa Instant Stablecoin Transactions Work?

The term "instant" in payment systems can refer to different processes. Payment authorization at the checkout can take seconds, but final settlement between the card issuer, Visa, the merchant's bank, and other parties isn't always completed at the same time.

Stablecoins can speed up settlements because the blockchain operates 24/7, including weekends and holidays. Under Visa's USDC program, participating banks gain access to 7-day-a-week fund movement and more flexible liquidity management.

The process can be divided into three stages:

1. Authorization

The network checks whether the payment can be approved. Consumers typically see the results within seconds.

2. Clearing

Transaction information is calculated and matched between the parties involved.

3. Settlement

Actual funds are transferred to fulfill obligations between issuers, acquirers, or payment providers.

Stablecoins primarily have the potential to improve settlement and liquidity transfer processes. This technology doesn't necessarily eliminate compliance checks, identity verification, fraud monitoring, currency conversion, or internal reconciliation.

Thus, “Visa stablecoin instant transactions” should not be interpreted to mean that every part of a global transaction is always completed instantly without intermediaries.

Read also:BI Stablecoin: A Safe Investment in the Crypto Future

Does Visa Offer Lower Transaction Fees?

Stablecoins can reduce costs in certain situations, particularly cross-border settlements, treasury transfers, and transactions that previously required multiple correspondent banks.

Companies can move digital assets on the blockchain network 24/7, without waiting for bank operating hours. 

Open USD minting and redemption for companies are also designed without the fees and volume limits of Open Standard systems, although fees from blockchain, technology providers, or other services may still apply.

However, consumers shouldn't assume all automatic payments are free of charge. Stablecoin card users may still face:

• Stablecoin conversion spread to local currency.
• Card issuance or usage fees.
• Withdrawal fees.
• Gas fee blockchain.
• Foreign exchange fees.
• Merchant fees.
• The margin set by the application or fintech.

Merchants also don't necessarily receive the full savings. The fee amount depends on the contract with the acquirer, payment provider, transaction type, location, and settlement currency.

The benefits of lower costs are likely most visible in the back-end of the system, such as treasury and cross-border settlement. The ultimate impact on consumers depends on whether providers pass on these savings through lower fees.

Read also:How to Buy STBL on Bittime — a DeFi Stablecoin Asset with Attractive Yields

What Stablecoins Does Visa Support?

Visa is developing multiple stablecoin lines that do not always back the same assets.

Open USD or OUSD

OUSD becomes the first asset on the Visa Stablecoin Platform for institutional minting, burning, storage, redemption, and transfer capabilities.

USDC

USDC is used in Visa's settlement program and stablecoin cards. Several participating banks in the United States have used USDC on Solana to settle obligations to Visa.

Stablecoins on partner cards

Cards developed in collaboration with infrastructure providers can use stablecoins supported by their respective platforms. The choice of asset depends on the issuer, country, blockchain network, and regulations.

Because support coverage is subject to change, users should check the available stablecoins on their app. Institutional Visa support doesn't automatically mean the token is immediately available to all cardholders.

Source: AI Generated Image

Visa's Benefits of Expanding Crypto Payments

The integration of stablecoins into the Visa network could yield several practical benefits.

Wider merchant access

Stablecoins struggle to thrive as a means of payment if they can only be used in crypto-specific stores. Visa cards bridge digital balances with existing merchant infrastructure.

Settlement for seven days

Blockchain can move funds on weekends and holidays. This capability helps companies manage liquidity without relying entirely on bank schedules.

Simpler integration for banks

Banks and fintechs can leverage the wallet infrastructure and operational control of VSPs without building an entire blockchain system themselves.

Cross-border payments

Stablecoins can reduce the stages of money transfer between countries, especially for business payments, remittances, and disbursement of funds to global workers.

Consumer experience remains unchanged

Users can still pay with cards or contactless methods. The complexity of blockchain runs behind the system.

More open reconciliation

Blockchain transactions provide a verifiable record and facilitate the transaction matching process. However, companies still need a system to link wallet addresses to identities and payment destinations.

Read also:Robinhood Should Focus on Tokenized Stocks, Not Meme Coins

Risks of Using Stablecoins for Payments

Stablecoins are designed to maintain value against a specific currency, but that doesn't mean they're without risk.

Depeg risk

Stablecoin prices can move away from their benchmark values ​​if the market doubts reserves, liquidity, or redemption capabilities.

Issuer risk

Users depend on the quality of reserves, governance, custody, audits, and compliance of stablecoin issuers.

Risiko smart contract

Code errors, exploits, or poor integration can result in loss of funds.

Asset freezing risk

Centralized stablecoins may have the function to freeze certain addresses according to the issuer's policy or legal obligations.

Risk of transfer error

Shipments to the wrong address or network can be difficult to cancel.

Regulatory risks

Stablecoin card products are not yet widely available. Local regulations may restrict card issuance, asset storage, or conversion to national currencies.

Hidden cost risk

Transactions that appear cheap may involve spreads, service fees, card fees, or foreign exchange conversions.

Visa integration may reduce some operational hurdles, but it does not eliminate the risks inherent in stablecoins and blockchain.

Read also: Hyundai Uses Avalanche Blockchain, USDT Transfers Completed in 7 Minutes

Will Visa Stablecoins Replace Bank Cards?

In the near term, stablecoins are more likely to complement cards than replace them. Visa's infrastructure remains necessary to connect consumers with the merchant network, handle authorizations, manage fraud risk, and provide a familiar payment experience.

As of early 2026, direct acceptance of stablecoins by merchants on a large scale remains limited. Demand is largely coming from card providers seeking to connect stablecoin balances to conventional payment networks.

Future models are likely to be hybrid:

• Consumers store stablecoins in wallets.
• The card or app becomes the payment interface.
• Visa manages merchant connectivity and authorization.
• Blockchain handles some of the settlement.
• Merchants choose to accept fiat or stablecoins.
• The bank continues to provide compliance and liquidity services.

For consumers, the biggest change may be invisible. Users still have their cards or phones tapped, but the source and settlement of their funds can be via stablecoins.

Read also:Bank of Thailand Proceeds with Baht Stablecoin Plan

Visa Stablecoin and the Future of Modern Payments

The Visa Stablecoin Platform demonstrates that payment companies are not simply viewing stablecoins as crypto trading assets. The technology is beginning to be deployed as part of their treasury, settlement, wallet, and remittance infrastructure.

The biggest impact might not be getting every cashier to set up a wallet address. Its practical value lies in the ability to connect blockchain-based money with payment systems already in use globally.

Three potential changes are:

1. More banks are offering stablecoin-based balances.
2. Card issuers are expanding payments from crypto wallets.
3. Merchants get the option of settlement in fiat or digital assets.

This development still requires regulation, consumer protection, transparent reserves, wallet security, and competitive fees. A broad network alone is insufficient without trust in the stablecoins used.

Read also: Buy US Stocks via Crypto, Get 7% Daily Rewards at Bittime

Can Indonesian Users Pay with USDC?

Indonesian users cannot yet assume that USDC balances in any wallet can be used directly at all Visa-branded stores. Access depends on the availability of a valid stablecoin card, support for Indonesian users, and compliance with regulatory and issuer requirements.

Before using a crypto card, check:

• Supported countries.
• Identity of the issuing company.
• Usable stablecoin.
• Available blockchain networks.
• Conversion and transaction fees.
• Purchase Limit.
• Refund policy.
• Protection if the card or account is misused.
• Local tax and regulatory requirements.

Users also need to differentiate between holding USDC on an exchange, holding USDC in a personal wallet, and having a card linked to that balance. These three don't always have the same payment features.

To stay up to date on stablecoin, USDC, and crypto payment integration updates, you can sign up at Bittime and check related news before using a new product. Ensure the service you choose is officially available in Indonesia and understand all the costs.

Conclusion

Visa is bringing stablecoins closer to its global network of approximately 200 million merchants. However, this claim doesn't mean all merchants will accept USDC transfers directly from user wallets.

Payments from stablecoin balances typically occur through cards issued by fintech or crypto platforms. Merchants still accept transactions through the Visa network and can receive payments in local currencies, while the stablecoin conversion takes place behind the scenes.

The Visa Stablecoin Platform itself is aimed at banks, fintechs, and payment providers. It started with Open USD or OUSD, while USDC remains used in Visa settlements and various stablecoin card products.

This integration has the potential to speed up settlements, expand stablecoin usage, and simplify cross-border payments. However, users should still consider country availability, conversion fees, depeg risk, wallet security, and consumer protection.

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FAQ

Can USDC be used at all Visa stores?

Not directly from any wallet. USDC can be used through compatible stablecoin cards, available in the user's country, and issued by Visa-connected providers.

Does Visa issue its own stablecoin?

Visa isn't the sole issuer of the stablecoin Visa Coin. Its new platform begins with Open USD, or OUSD, introduced by the Open Standard.

What is the difference between OUSD and USDC in the Visa ecosystem?

OUSD is the first asset to integrate minting, burning, and redemption through the Visa Stablecoin Platform. USDC has previously been used in institutional settlements and a number of stablecoin cards.

Are stablecoin payments via Visa fee-free?

Not always. Users may be charged conversion spreads, card fees, gas fees, foreign exchange fees, or service fees from the provider.

Do merchants need to have a crypto wallet?

Not for payments via Visa stablecoin cards. Merchants can accept transactions like regular card payments without directly managing wallets or crypto assets.