Visa partners with BVNK to launch stablecoin payment service, Visa Direct accelerates global real-time payment upgrades
On January 14, news, global payments giant Visa announced that it has integrated the stablecoin infrastructure of UK fintech company BVNK into its Visa Direct platform, further expanding the real-time payment network that processes approximately 1.7 trillion annually in global fund transfers. Overall, this partnership is seen as an important step in accelerating the penetration of stablecoin payment scenarios into traditional payment systems.
In summary, the core of this collaboration is to provide new settlement options for merchants in specific markets. Eligible businesses can choose to prepay funds in the form of stablecoins and send the funds directly to the recipient’s digital wallet, bypassing some traditional settlement processes. For high-frequency, instant settlement scenarios such as cross-border settlements, digital asset-related services, or global employment, this model offers significant efficiency advantages.
From an application perspective, Visa Direct is currently used by many enterprises and platforms for quick payments to individuals, covering scenarios such as payroll, gig economy income settlement, and international remittances. By introducing stablecoins, which have relatively stable prices and can be settled around the clock, Visa aims to provide users with faster access to funds even outside banking hours, reducing time friction in traditional payment systems.
Visa’s Global Product Head Mark Nelsen stated in a release that stablecoins are bringing new possibilities to the global payment system, with long-term potential in reducing intermediaries, improving settlement efficiency, and expanding financial service coverage. Overall, this also reflects Visa’s strategic recognition of stablecoins as a mainstream payment tool.
On the technical level, BVNK will provide Visa with support for stablecoin transfer and settlement infrastructure. Public data shows that this UK-based company processes over $30 billion in stablecoin payments annually and has mature institutional-level operational experience. Notably, Visa had already invested in BVNK through its venture capital arm in May 2025 and later received strategic investment from major US financial institutions, further strengthening market confidence in stablecoin infrastructure.
From a market pace perspective, both parties stated that this stablecoin payment service will be launched first in regions with high digital asset payment demand and will gradually expand coverage based on actual customer usage. Overall, this cooperation not only enhances Visa Direct’s global competitiveness but also provides a clearer path for stablecoins to land in mainstream payment systems.