VISA and Wirex launch on-chain payments in USDC and EURC on Stellar

Wirex introduces on-chain payments on Stellar directly via cards with USDC and EURC, in partnership with Visa.

How does Wirex’s dual-stablecoin rollout with Stellar and Visa work?

On Nov. 18, 2025, global digital payments firm Wirex revealed that live dual-stablecoin settlement using USDC and EURC on the Stellar blockchain is now in production. The initiative, developed with the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), allows on-chain settlement of Visa card payments in both dollar- and euro-denominated stablecoins.

According to the company, this marks a significant milestone for blockchain-powered finance. Moreover, it demonstrates how stablecoins can underpin mainstream payment flows while still integrating with existing card networks like Visa.

What does this mean for Visa card payment settlement?

Because of Wirex’s principal membership with Visa, the firm can now meet its settlement obligations directly in USDC and EURC on Stellar. That means there is no need for intermediary banks or legacy fiat clearing systems in the settlement leg of the transaction.

Cuy Sheffield, VP and Head of Crypto at Visa, said the card giant is collaborating with innovators such as Wirex to test how stablecoins and blockchains can improve payments. In his view, using USDC and EURC on Stellar shows how on-chain processes can bring more speed, transparency, and programmability to digital transactions.

Denelle Dixon, CEO and Executive Director at the Stellar Development Foundation, added that the future of finance is “onchain.” She stressed that having Wirex go live with dual-stablecoin settlement on Stellar is a major step for real-world stablecoin utility, particularly for compliant cross-border transfers.

What are the concrete benefits for users and partners?

The companies outlined several direct impacts for end users and business partners. First, USDC and EURC settlements are now live and fully operational on the Stellar network, enabling card payment settlement to be conducted in stablecoins directly on-chain with Visa through Wirex.

Second, users and corporate clients can benefit from lower fees, faster processing times, and 24/7 availability. However, the most strategic advantage may be that settlement infrastructure now spans both USD and EUR, supporting global and regional use cases in a unified framework.

The rollout is powered by Wirex Pay, the company’s on-chain stablecoin infrastructure for real-time card and banking payments sent directly from self-custody wallets. By combining blockchain efficiency with stablecoin programmability, Wirex aims to deliver borderless, instant financial services built for the Web3 economy.

How does Wirex position itself in stablecoin-native finance?

Wirex describes itself as a global digital payments platform that bridges traditional and digital currencies. As a principal Visa member and early pioneer of crypto-enabled cards, the company now serves more than 7 million customers across 130 countries.

Today, it is pushing further into stablecoin-native infrastructure. That strategy includes real-time settlement, self-custodial wallets, and blockchain-powered banking experiences.

Why is the Stellar network suited for this settlement model?

The Stellar network is designed as a decentralized, fast, and scalable blockchain for financial products and services. It offers smart contract capabilities and a protocol optimized specifically for payments, with low fees and transaction speeds that can scale as usage grows.

Financial institutions and fintech innovators worldwide already issue assets and settle payments on Stellar. Since launch, the network has processed billions of operations across millions of accounts. For a technical overview of the underlying protocol, users can refer to the official Stellar dashboard.

How does this compare with traditional banking rails?

Unlike conventional correspondent banking, which often operates on business hours and regional clearing cycles, this new settlement model runs continuously on-chain. As a result, it offers near-instant finality and transparent tracking of settlement flows.

Moreover, the approach aligns with a broader industry move toward programmable money. For analysis on stablecoin adoption in global payments, data from sources such as GENIUS Act research on EURC settlements highlights the growing role of tokenized fiat in cross-border use cases.

In summary, the live deployment of dual-stablecoin settlement on Stellar positions Wirex, Visa, and the Stellar Development Foundation at the forefront of on-chain payments, while the wirex stellar settlement structure could become a blueprint for future stablecoin-based card ecosystems.