Visa Brings USDC Settlement to the U.S. and Advances Onchain Payments

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is modernizing payment systems by introducing USDC-based settlements for U.S. institutions, allowing select partners to settle obligations using Circle's dollar-backed stablecoin alongside traditional fiat methods [1][4] - The initiative aims to enhance speed and availability, enabling fund movement across blockchains seven days a week, which can compress settlement cycles and improve liquidity efficiency for banks and fintech companies [2][5] - Visa's monthly stablecoin settlement volumes have surged to an annualized rate of over $3.5 billion as of November 30, 2025, indicating strong momentum in this area [3][9] Visa's Strategic Developments - The U.S. rollout of USDC settlements builds on previous stablecoin pilots and reflects Visa's strategic pivot to bridge traditional financial systems with blockchain infrastructure [4][5] - Visa has launched a global Stablecoins Advisory Practice to assist financial institutions in navigating the evolving stablecoin market [4] - Visa plans to utilize Arc, a new Layer 1 blockchain designed for high performance and scalability, to support USDC settlements and strengthen its position in the blockchain ecosystem [3][9] Market Performance - Over the past year, Visa's shares have increased by 8.7%, contrasting with a 9.9% decline in the industry [8] - Visa currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with better-ranked stocks in the business services sector including OppFi Inc., FirstCash Holdings, and Dave Inc., all rated 1 (Strong Buy) [10]