Visa has announced a partnership with Aquanow, a global digital‑asset platform, to extend its stablecoin settlement capabilities throughout the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region. The collaboration will integrate Aquanow’s liquidity and infrastructure with Visa’s payment network, enabling issuers and acquirers to settle transactions in approved stablecoins such as USDC on a 365‑day settlement cycle, thereby reducing costs and operational friction.
The move builds on Visa’s earlier stablecoin pilot, which began in 2021 with Crypto.com and achieved a $2.5 billion annualized run‑rate in monthly volume. By leveraging Aquanow’s expertise, Visa aims to modernize the back‑end rails of payments, cut reliance on traditional multi‑intermediary systems, and prepare institutions for the future of money movement in the CEMEA market. The partnership signals a shift from a limited pilot to a broader regional rollout, reflecting growing demand for faster, cheaper cross‑border settlements.
Strategically, the partnership positions Visa to capture a sizable share of the CEMEA market, where cross‑border trade is high and regulatory frameworks for stablecoins are evolving. By offering a 365‑day settlement option, Visa can provide issuers and merchants with a more efficient alternative to legacy settlement mechanisms, potentially reducing settlement times from days to hours and lowering transaction costs. The partnership also strengthens Visa’s competitive moat against other payment networks that are exploring digital‑asset solutions, such as Mastercard’s recent stablecoin initiatives.
The CEMEA region presents both opportunities and headwinds. While the diverse economies and growing digital‑payment adoption create a fertile environment for stablecoin usage, regulatory uncertainty remains a challenge. Visa’s collaboration with Aquanow, which has a global footprint and experience in navigating regulatory landscapes, helps mitigate these risks and positions Visa to adapt to local compliance requirements. The partnership also aligns with broader industry trends toward blockchain‑based settlement, reinforcing Visa’s reputation as an innovator in payment technology.
Management has emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion. Visa’s CFO noted that “the partnership with Aquanow accelerates our digital‑asset roadmap and delivers tangible cost savings for our partners.” The announcement underscores Visa’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that supports the next generation of cross‑border payments, while maintaining a focus on regulatory compliance and operational resilience.
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