Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement Services Across CEMEA with New Strategic Partnership

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Global payments giant Visa has announced a major expansion of its stablecoin settlement services across the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) region through a new strategic partnership with digital asset infrastructure provider Aquanow. The move reflects the growing demand for faster, low-cost, and always-available financial settlement systems in emerging and developed markets alike.


Under this new partnership, financial institutions operating within Visa’s network will now be able to settle transactions using approved stablecoins such as USD-pegged digital currencies. This development is expected to significantly reduce processing delays, cut cross-border fees, and allow near-real-time final settlement even on weekends and public holidays.


Transforming Payments in the CEMEA Region

The CEMEA region has long faced challenges related to cross-border payments, including inconsistent transfer times, high transaction costs, and liquidity fragmentation across markets. Stablecoin-based settlement offers a solution by enabling faster fund movements without relying entirely on traditional correspondent banking systems.


With this launch, eligible issuers and payment providers will gain access to blockchain-powered rails that operate 24/7. This means that financial institutions can process and settle transactions outside traditional banking hours, creating a smoother ecosystem for international payments, remittances, and merchant settlements.


Building on a Broader Stablecoin Strategy

This expansion follows Visa’s earlier investments in blockchain settlement infrastructure, which began with small-scale pilots and has now evolved into a broader commercial rollout. The company has spent the past two years testing how stablecoins can integrate into existing card settlement frameworks.


By broadening access across CEMEA, the company is signaling that stablecoin transactions are moving from experimental technology to institutional-grade payment solutions. It also supports the growing world of digital commerce, where businesses increasingly expect instant settlement regardless of geography.


What This Means for Banks and Payment Providers

The new settlement framework provides multiple benefits for financial institutions and corporate clients, including:

  • Reduced settlement costs due to fewer intermediaries

  • Faster cross-border payments with near-instant confirmations

  • Round-the-clock transaction processing without banking holidays

  • Improved liquidity management across markets

  • Lower operational complexity for international transactions


This system also gives small and mid-sized banks access to settlement tools that were previously available only to large global institutions.


Looking Ahead

As more regulators develop frameworks for digital assets and stablecoins, stablecoin settlement is expected to expand further into global infrastructure. Visa’s move into CEMEA positions it as a serious player in reshaping financial rails for the digital economy.


With rising reliance on digital payments, blockchain-based settlement could soon become the standard rather than the exception  especially in regions where banking infrastructure is evolving rapidly.


FAQs



What is stablecoin settlement?

Stablecoin settlement refers to processing payments using digital currencies that are pegged to traditional currencies, offering faster and cheaper transaction processing.


Why is this important for the CEMEA region?

The region includes many countries with different banking systems and currencies, making cross-border payments slow and costly. Stablecoins enable faster, simpler settlement.


Will consumers be able to pay with stablecoins directly?

At this stage, the settlement system focuses on back-end infrastructure for banks and payment providers, not direct consumer payments.


How fast is stablecoin settlement?

Depending on the network used, settlement can occur in seconds or minutes instead of days.


Is this a pilot program?

No, this is a commercial rollout following successful testing in earlier years.



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