[Visa Launches Stablecoin Payment Pilot, Supporting Instant Cross-Border Settlements with USDC] Visa has announced the launch of a stablecoin payment pilot program, allowing creators, freelancers, and businesses to receive payments in USDC issued by Circle via Visa Direct, enabling instant cross-border settlements. During the pilot phase, businesses in the U.S. can make payments in fiat currency, while recipients can choose to directly receive USDC, with funds arriving in almost minutes. Recipients must have a stablecoin wallet that meets Visa standards and pass KYC/AML verification. Currently, only USDC is supported, with plans to expand to more partners by the second half of 2026. Since 2020, Visa has facilitated over $140 billion in crypto and stablecoin transactions and launched more than 130 card programs linked to stablecoins.