Visa announced the launch of its Stablecoins Advisory Practice, a new initiative within Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) designed to help banks, fintechs, merchants, and businesses develop meaningful strategies for stablecoin adoption. The new practice focuses on providing actionable insights on market fit, regulatory compliance, technology integration, and implementation.
The announcement comes at a time when the stablecoin market cap has surpassed $250 billion, as reported by HodlFM at the end of November, which shows growing traction for the asset class in global finance. Visa said in its announcement its stablecoin settlement volume reached an annualized run rate of $3.5 billion as of November 30, which highlights rising institutional demand for blockchain-based payments infrastructure.
Visa expands its consulting capabilities to stablecoins
The Stablecoins Advisory Practice combines Visa’s payments expertise with deep crypto-specific knowledge. The service helps organizations understand how stablecoins can enhance financial operations, optimize settlement, and expand cross-border capabilities.
“Having a comprehensive stablecoins strategy is critical in today’s digital landscape,” said Carl Rutstein, global head of Visa Consulting & Analytics in the statement. “Clients come to Visa and VCA for guidance because they trust our ability to navigate change, both within payments and beyond. We are proud to help our clients stay agile and competitive as this space evolves at an unprecedented pace.”
VCA, which employs thousands of consultants, data scientists, and product experts worldwide, will offer a wide range of advisory services through this new division. These include stablecoin training and market programs, strategy development, market entry planning, use case modeling, and technology enablement for integrating stablecoins into existing payment systems.
Clients explore real-world use cases with Visa
Several major financial institutions have already engaged with Visa’s advisory team to explore stablecoin opportunities.
“Putting our members first has always been our mission, and we’re committed to exploring innovations that strengthen financial health and convenience for those we serve. Stablecoins may represent an opportunity to enhance speed and lower cost in payments, so with the support of Visa, we are evaluating how this technology could fit into our broader strategy to deliver meaningful value to our 15 million members worldwide,” said Matt Freeman, senior vice president at Navy Federal Credit Union in the announcement.
Anthony Sharett, president of Pathward, added that his institution welcomed the chance to collaborate with Visa early.
“Visa Consulting & Analytics brings together Visa’s scale, expertise and specialized consultants to offer a unique service, and Pathward appreciates the invitation to be one of the first banks to explore this work with them,” he said. “Stablecoins could provide innovative solutions for the financial services sector, and Visa’s team delivered impressive work, insights and actionable recommendations for businesses exploring them.”
Lauren Morrison, vice president of Payments Products at VyStar Credit Union, said Visa’s consulting team helped sharpen her organization’s understanding of the technology.
“Working with Visa Consulting & Analytics gave VyStar access to Visa’s scale, crypto expertise, and specialized consulting talent—a combination that is hard to match in the consulting world,” she said. “The VCA team provided practical insights and tailored recommendations that helped us deepen our understanding of the stablecoin landscape and its potential relevance to our members.”
Building on Visa’s stablecoin track record
Visa’s move into specialized stablecoin advisory services builds on more than two years of development and experimentation in blockchain-based payment solutions. The company was one of the first major networks to pilot stablecoin settlement using USDC in 2023, testing how blockchain infrastructure could complement existing payment rails.
At the moment, Visa supports over 130 stablecoin-linked card issuing programs across more than 40 countries, enabling digital asset payment experiences within its network. Through Visa Direct, the company is also piloting cross-border transactions where qualified businesses can pre-fund payouts in stablecoins and send them directly to recipients’ wallets in approved jurisdictions.
Visa CEO Ryan McInerney recently called stablecoins “next-generation settlement infrastructure” in his December shareholder letter. He outlined a roadmap that includes stablecoin-linked cards, cross-border prefunding, and stablecoin settlements for banks and businesses worldwide.
The company’s broader consulting portfolio has grown rapidly, with the VCA division now operating cybersecurity, data, and fintech-focused advisory practices, each designed to support innovation across the payments ecosystem. The new Stablecoins Advisory Practice extends Visa’s mission to modernize money movement through digital assets, maintaining compliance and security standards while enabling new growth models for clients.
Gunel Ismayilova
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