Anchorage Digital has announced a partnership with Visa to allow select stablecoins issued by Anchorage to settle transactions directly on VisaNet. The collaboration will begin with Western Union’s USDPT, a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued and custodied by Anchorage Digital Bank. This marks the first time an Anchorage-issued token will be used for settlement on Visa’s global payments network.
Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement Capabilities
Under the agreement, Visa and eligible partners can use USDPT to meet their payment obligations on the Visa network. This integration is expected to streamline settlement processes by using the speed and efficiency of stablecoins, while relying on Anchorage’s position as a federally regulated bank for added oversight and security.
Dan Roesbery, Visa’s vice president for crypto partnerships, described the addition of USDPT as providing partners with “another trusted, institution-grade option” to settle transactions with Visa. The companies stated that this move establishes a framework for other Anchorage-issued stablecoins to be added for direct settlement in the future.
Visa has been actively building out a stablecoin settlement program in recent years, expanding across blockchain networks such as Base and Polygon. The payments giant has also launched a platform aimed at making it easier for banks and fintech firms to issue and transfer stablecoins, and has introduced onchain lending features connected to its cards.
Anchorage Aims to Become Preferred Settlement Bank for Stablecoins
Nathan McCauley, co-founder and CEO of Anchorage Digital, highlighted the advantages of the new system, stressing the importance of institutional trust alongside technological progress. He explained that pairing the transaction speed of stablecoins with the regulatory protections provided by a federally chartered bank responds to the specific needs of institutional clients.
Speed alone won’t bring institutions onchain; institutions want a regulated institution behind the money, now getting both a stablecoin’s speed and a federally regulated bank’s safeguards.
Anchorage operates as the first federally chartered crypto bank in the United States, overseen by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The company’s current portfolio includes stablecoins such as Tether’s USAT, Western Union’s USDPT, and Ethena’s USDtb. All are redeemable one-to-one for US dollars and are aimed at institutional users. Through its Atlas network, Anchorage provides services including off-exchange settlement, collateral management, and cross-border transfers.
Growing Influence in International Remittances
Anchorage is solidifying its role as the custody backbone for stablecoins circulating within the US-Mexico remittance corridor, one of the world’s busiest money-transfer routes. Earlier this week, the company expanded its custody and listing arrangement with Bitso, a leading Latin American crypto platform, by holding stablecoins such as MXNB—the Mexican peso stablecoin—across six blockchains.
Backing a token on Visa’s network, which reaches merchants and banks worldwide, extends Anchorage’s institutional footprint further into mainstream payments.
With increased interest in cross-border transactions and remittances, Anchorage and Visa’s partnership aims to make stablecoin settlements a mainstream option in global payments. The companies confirmed plans to add support for additional Anchorage-issued stablecoins following the launch of USDPT.
With USDPT now enabled for settlement on VisaNet, monitoring stablecoin flows and related payment movements is even more crucial for institutions and enterprises. CryptoAppsy allows users to set smart alerts for price shifts in specific stablecoins, offering real-time monitoring of network data and coin-specific news. This functionality helps professionals stay on top of developments as new payment rails are integrated with leading networks like Visa.
