Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlements to CEMEA Through Aquanow Partnership: A $2.5B Monthly Milestone
Introduction: A New Era for Cross-Border Payments
In a significant move that solidifies the role of digital assets in mainstream finance, Visa Inc. has announced a partnership with crypto fintech company Aquanow to extend its stablecoin settlement capabilities to the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) region. The announcement, made on November 27, 2025, links Visa’s vast payment network with Aquanow’s digital asset infrastructure, enabling financial institutions to use stablecoins like USDC for faster and more cost-effective cross-border transactions. This expansion is already processing at an annualized monthly run rate of $2.5 billion, marking a pivotal step in modernizing payment rails for a region characterized by high cross-border volume and a need for financial innovation.
The Partnership Breakdown: Visa and Aquanow Join Forces
Connecting Traditional Finance with Digital Asset Infrastructure
The core of this development is the technical integration between two distinct yet complementary platforms. Visa’s global payment network is being connected to Aquanow’s specialized digital asset infrastructure. This collaboration is designed specifically for issuers and acquirers within the Visa ecosystem, allowing them to settle transactions using approved stablecoins, with USDC being the primary example cited.
The partnership was officially heralded by Aquanow in a social media post on November 26, 2025, which stated: “@Visa has selected @Aquanow to expand stablecoin settlement across CEMEA, enabling issuers and acquirers to settle with approved stablecoins like USDC. Faster cycles. Lower friction. 365-day settlement.”
This setup directly addresses two major pain points in traditional finance: the slow speed of cross-border settlements and their associated costs. By leveraging blockchain technology, the partnership aims to eliminate the delays inherent in traditional banking systems, which often operate only on business days and within specific hours.
Operational Mechanics: How USDC Settlement Works in CEMEA
Enabling 24/7 Instant Settlements
The most transformative aspect of this partnership is its ability to facilitate round-the-clock settlements. Traditional cross-border transactions can be hampered by time-zone differences, banking holidays, and multi-day processing through correspondent banks. The use of USDC on a blockchain network allows for settlements to occur instantly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
This capability meets a growing demand in the CEMEA region for more efficient handling of institutional money flows. The press release explicitly notes that this rollout is a direct response to this demand, building upon a pilot program for USDC settlements that Visa first initiated in 2023. The success of this pilot is evidenced by the current $2.5 billion annualized monthly run rate, indicating significant and rapid adoption by financial institutions within the network.
Executive Insight: Strategic Vision Behind the Expansion
Modernizing Payment Rails for a Dynamic Region
The strategic importance of this move was underscored by statements from executives at both companies. Godfrey Sullivan, Visa’s Head of Product and Solutions for CEMEA, characterized the expansion as a step to update payment rails in the region. This indicates a deliberate strategy by Visa to future-proof its services in emerging markets where financial infrastructure is rapidly evolving.
From Aquanow’s perspective, CEO Phil Sham highlighted the qualitative improvement this brings to institutional finance. He noted that the combination of Visa’s network and Aquanow’s technology brings "internet-speed transparency to institutional flows with stablecoin technology." This points to a vision where the opacity and friction of international settlements are replaced with the efficiency and auditability of blockchain-based systems.
Visa's Broader Stablecoin Strategy in 2025
A Year of Accelerated Blockchain Integration
The CEMEA expansion is not an isolated event but part of a concerted push by Visa into stablecoin and blockchain technologies throughout 2025. Earlier in the year, the payments giant launched several other key initiatives:
- September 2025: Visa commenced a prefund pilot via its Visa Direct service for cross-border business payments using stablecoins.
- November 2025: The company introduced pilots for fiat-to-stablecoin payouts targeted at creators and gig workers.
Furthermore, Visa has significantly broadened its supported assets. Alongside USDC, the company has added support for other major stablecoins including USDG and PYUSD, as well as EURC. It has also expanded its blockchain interoperability by integrating with networks beyond Ethereum, specifically naming Stellar (XLM) and Avalanche (AVAX) in its announcements.
This trend aligns with a longer-term strategy that began around 2020, showing a consistent and growing commitment to incorporating blockchain technology into its core offerings.
The Rising Tide: Stablecoin Market Hits $305 Billion
Contextualizing Visa's Move in a Booming Sector
Visa’s strategic pivot occurs against the backdrop of unprecedented growth in the stablecoin sector. According to data from DefiLlama, the total stablecoin supply surpassed $300 billion in 2025 and was close to $305 billion at the time of the announcement, despite broader volatility in the cryptocurrency market.
The market is dominated by two major players:
- USDT (Tether): Commands approximately 60% market dominance.
- USDC (USD Coin): Holds about 25% market dominance.
This growth is attributed to several factors, including regulatory developments such as the GENIUS Act in the U.S. and the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation in Europe, which have provided greater clarity and legitimacy for stablecoin operations. Additionally, there is increasing demand from emerging markets for fast and reliable transfer mechanisms, a need that services like Visa's are now positioned to meet.
The scale of the stablecoin market has become substantial enough to rival segments of traditional finance. The press release notes that stablecoins reached a transaction volume of $6 trillion in Q1 2025 alone, underscoring their significant role in the global movement of value.
Comparative Landscape: The Role of Key Players
Visa, Aquanow, and the Stablecoin Ecosystem
While this article focuses on a single partnership, it is useful to understand the distinct roles of the entities involved without speculating on unstated futures.
- Visa: Acts as the global distribution network and trusted brand. Its role is to provide access to its vast network of financial institutions and merchants, lending credibility and scale to blockchain-based settlements.
- Aquanow: Serves as the technology enabler. Its role is to provide the critical digital asset infrastructure that allows for the seamless conversion and transfer of stablecoins, handling the complexities of blockchain interaction.
- USDC vs. Other Stablecoins: In this specific partnership, USDC is highlighted as the primary settlement asset. Its status as a regulated, fully-reserved stablecoin likely makes it preferable for institutional settlements within Visa's framework. The inclusion of other stablecoins like USDG, PYUSD, and EURC in other Visa pilots indicates a strategy of multi-asset support, but USDC appears to be taking a lead role in this particular CEMEA settlement layer.
Strategic Conclusion: The Mainstreaming of Digital Asset Settlement
The expansion of Visa’s stablecoin settlement network into CEMEA through its partnership with Aquanow is more than just a product launch; it is a validation of blockchain technology's utility in high-finance applications. By achieving a $2.5 billion monthly run rate, the service demonstrates clear product-market fit and demand from institutional players.
The broader market insight is clear: traditional financial giants are no longer just experimenting with digital assets but are actively deploying them to improve their core services. The combination of regulatory maturation, booming stablecoin adoption, and technological readiness has created an environment where blockchain-based solutions offer tangible advantages over legacy systems.
For readers and industry observers, the key developments to watch next will be:
- The scalability of this CEMEA pilot and potential expansion into other regions.
- The performance metrics of other Visa stablecoin initiatives, such as the creator payout pilots.
- The response from other major payment networks and financial institutions, which may accelerate their own blockchain integration plans in response to Visa's moves.
This partnership signifies a durable shift towards the integration of traditional and digital finance, where efficiency, transparency, and constant availability are becoming the new standard for global payments.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available announcements and data. It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice.