A seismic shift is underway in the digital asset economy, as crypto-linked card payments have overtaken peer-to-peer stablecoin transfers to become the primary driver of on-chain stablecoin activity. According to a new study from blockchain analytics firm Artemis, this market has quietly ballooned to $18 billion in 2025, with monthly volumes exploding from $100 million to over $1.5 billion. This dramatic growth, averaging 106% annually since 2023, signals that payment cards are now the dominant user-facing gateway for spending digital assets in the real world, fundamentally reshaping how stablecoins are utilized.
about Crypto Card Payments Surpass P2P Transfers, Hit $18B in 2025
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Visa Partners with BVNK for Stablecoin Payouts via Visa Direct
Visa has partnered with London-based stablecoin infrastructure provider BVNK to integrate stablecoin pre-funding and payouts into its $1.7 trillion Visa Direct platform, marking a significant step toward mainstream adoption of digital assets for global payments. The collaboration allows select businesses to send funds directly to recipients’ stablecoin wallets, extending beyond traditional fiat rails and operating 24/7. While experts highlight the potential for reduced settlement delays, the long-term impact hinges on regulatory adaptation and the ability of local monetary infrastructure to keep pace with these new payment rails.
about Visa Partners with BVNK for Stablecoin Payouts via Visa DirectVisa Crypto Card Spending Surges 525% in 2025, Led by EtherFi
Consumer spending through Visa-backed crypto-linked payment cards exploded in 2025, surging 525% over the year to reach $91.3 million by December. This dramatic growth, led by issuer EtherFi with $55.4 million in transactions, signals a pivotal shift as digital assets move from speculative holdings to tools for routine purchases at traditional merchants, supported by Visa’s expanding stablecoin infrastructure.
about Visa Crypto Card Spending Surges 525% in 2025, Led by EtherFiVisa Launches USDC Settlement on Solana for US Banks
In a landmark move for the convergence of traditional finance and digital assets, payment processing giant Visa has launched a USDC settlement service for U.S. financial institutions. The initiative, which began with Cross River Bank and Lead Bank settling transactions on the Solana blockchain, signals a strategic commitment to integrating stablecoin technology into core payment infrastructure, with a broader rollout planned for 2026.
about Visa Launches USDC Settlement on Solana for US BanksBitcoin Rivals Visa, Mastercard with $6.9T Settlement Volume
Bitcoin has processed $6.9 trillion in settlement volume over the past 90 days, rivaling the combined transaction totals of payment giants Visa and Mastercard. This milestone, detailed in Glassnode’s latest quarterly report, signals Bitcoin’s accelerating evolution from a speculative asset into a functional global settlement layer, challenging traditional banking and card networks for cross-border value transfer.
about Bitcoin Rivals Visa, Mastercard with $6.9T Settlement VolumeVisa Pilot Enables USD to USDC Payments for Gig Workers
Visa is launching a groundbreaking pilot program that will allow companies to send USD payments while recipients receive Circle’s USDC stablecoin. The service targets gig economy workers and is scheduled for a 2026 rollout pending regulatory approval. This represents Visa’s latest strategic move in the rapidly evolving stablecoin ecosystem, bridging traditional finance with digital assets through its existing payment infrastructure.
about Visa Pilot Enables USD to USDC Payments for Gig WorkersVisa Pilots Stablecoin Payouts from Fiat to Crypto Wallets
Visa has launched a groundbreaking pilot program enabling US dollar stablecoin payouts directly from fiat-funded business accounts to crypto wallets. The initiative represents a significant bridge between traditional finance and digital assets, allowing US-based platforms and businesses to send payouts from traditional currency accounts directly to users’, workers’, or employees’ stablecoin wallets through the Visa Direct network.
about Visa Pilots Stablecoin Payouts from Fiat to Crypto WalletsVisa, Mastercard Cut Fees in $200B Retail Settlement
Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. have reached a landmark settlement with U.S. retailers that will fundamentally reshape the payment processing landscape, reducing credit card fees and granting merchants unprecedented control over payment options. The agreement, designed to conclude more than two decades of litigation, could save merchants over $200 billion according to expert economists involved in the case, positioning it as one of the largest antitrust settlements in American history and potentially altering consumer payment experiences nationwide.
about Visa, Mastercard Cut Fees in $200B Retail SettlementTangem Pay Launches USDC Visa Card for Global Spending
Cryptocurrency hardware wallet provider Tangem has launched Tangem Pay, a groundbreaking virtual Visa card that enables users to spend Circle’s USDC stablecoin at millions of merchants worldwide. This innovative solution directly connects to Tangem’s self-custodial hardware wallet, allowing seamless conversion of USDC on the Polygon network to local currencies at point of sale, marking a significant step toward mainstream cryptocurrency adoption for everyday transactions.
about Tangem Pay Launches USDC Visa Card for Global SpendingVisa Expands Stablecoin Support Across 4 Blockchains
Global payments giant Visa is accelerating its cryptocurrency strategy by adding support for four new stablecoins across four distinct blockchain networks, CEO Ryan McInerney announced during the company’s quarterly earnings call. This strategic expansion represents a significant deepening of Visa’s commitment to digital assets, enabling partner banks to directly mint and burn stablecoins on the platform following strong growth in the company’s crypto services division over the past financial year.
about Visa Expands Stablecoin Support Across 4 BlockchainsCircle Launches Arc Blockchain Testnet with Major Institutions
Circle, the world’s second-largest stablecoin issuer, has launched the public testnet for its Arc blockchain with participation from over 100 major financial institutions including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Visa, and Mastercard. This landmark initiative, described by Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire as the ‘Economic Operating System for the internet,’ represents a significant step toward mainstream institutional adoption of blockchain technology and could fundamentally reshape how global financial infrastructure operates.
about Circle Launches Arc Blockchain Testnet with Major InstitutionsStablecoins Now 1% of US Dollars in Circulation: a16z
Stablecoins have reached a critical milestone, now accounting for over 1% of all US dollars in circulation as major financial institutions and fintech companies accelerate their cryptocurrency adoption. According to Andreessen Horowitz’s latest State of Crypto report, traditional finance giants including BlackRock, Visa, Fidelity, and JPMorgan Chase are reshaping the digital asset landscape alongside fintech leaders like Stripe, PayPal, and Robinhood. This institutional embrace is being supported by dramatic improvements in blockchain infrastructure capabilities, with some networks processing over 3,400 transactions per second—representing more than a 100-fold increase in throughput over the past five years.
about Stablecoins Now 1% of US Dollars in Circulation: a16z