For the first time, U.S. issuer and acquirer partners can settle transactions with Visa using Circle’s USDC, a fully reserved, dollar-backed stablecoin.
The move promises faster funds movement, seven-day settlement availability, and enhanced operational resilience. This is without changing the experience for consumers using Visa cards.
Faster, Smarter Settlement for Banks
USDC settlement enables banks and fintechs to move funds across blockchains more efficiently. Initial participants include Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, which are already settling with Visa over the Solana blockchain. Broader adoption in the U.S. is planned through 2026. By using USDC, financial institutions can benefit from automated treasury operations and next-generation liquidity management while maintaining compliance and security standards. Settlement can now occur seven days a week, compared with the traditional five-business-day schedule, giving banks more flexibility and improving cash flow management.
Coming: stablecoin settlement 7 days. Money moves when commerce does—weekends included. U.S. institutions can settle with Visa in @circle USDC over @Solana. @Lead_Bank
and @CrossRiverBank are the first US banks to join Visa’s pilot, more through 2026: https://t.co/9cys9s9okl pic.twitter.com/alKt4pFU27— VisaNews (@VisaNews) December 16, 2025
A real-world example is a small fintech partnering with Cross River Bank to process weekend payments for corporate clients. With USDC settlement, funds that would normally sit idle until Monday can now be settled instantly on Saturday, reducing delays and increasing operational efficiency. This speed and transparency are critical as demand for programmable, blockchain-based settlement grows.
BREAKING: Banks are settling payments with @Visa on Solana, already at $3.5 billion run rate 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MSQZv0hmf7
— Solana (@solana) December 16, 2025
Visa is also working closely with Circle on Arc, a new Layer 1 blockchain currently in public testnet. Arc is designed to handle high-volume, high-speed commercial activity onchain. Visa plans to use Arc for USDC settlement and will operate a validator node when the network goes live. This partnership signals a trend of major payment networks integrating blockchain infrastructure to support traditional banking needs while exploring decentralized solutions.
Arc’s purpose-built design offers the performance and scalability needed to support @Visa’s global commercial activity onchain.
As a design partner for Arc, Visa is working with us to shape high performance infrastructure for USDC settlement and future onchain operations.…
— Arc (@arc) December 16, 2025
More About Solana
Invesco, managing $2.1 trillion in assets under management, has officially launched its first Solana-focused exchange-traded fund, $QSOL, in partnership with Galaxy. The new ETF allows investors to gain targeted exposure to Solana.
BREAKING: @InvescoUS, with $2.1 trillion AUM, debuts Solana ETF in partnership with @galaxyhq: $QSOL 🔥 https://t.co/5jrIsQpV9M pic.twitter.com/IJRMQzDR7Z
— Solana (@solana) December 16, 2025
$QSOL offers a regulated and convenient vehicle. This is for both retail and institutional investors to participate in the growth of the Solana ecosystem. This move reflects a broader trend of mainstream financial firms embracing blockchain-based products as demand for digital asset exposure continues to rise.
Disclaimer
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.
The post Visa Integrates USDC Settlement to Modernize US Banking appeared first on Altcoin Buzz.
