Visa Inc. (V) wants to be your stablecoin sherpa. The payments giant announced Monday it's launching a Stablecoins Advisory Practice, essentially offering to hold the hands of banks, fintechs, merchants, and other businesses trying to figure out whether crypto dollars make sense for them.
The timing makes sense. Stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies like the dollar—have quietly exploded into a $250 billion market. And Visa has been riding that wave hard, with its own stablecoin settlement activity hitting a $3.5 billion annualized run rate as of November 30.
The new advisory service runs through Visa Consulting & Analytics, the company's consulting arm. Think of it as strategic guidance for companies trying to answer questions like: Should we use stablecoins? How do we actually implement this stuff? What's our market opportunity here?
Navy Federal Credit Union is one institution already exploring the possibilities. "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, the credit union's senior vice president.
Building on Digital Finance Momentum
The advisory launch isn't happening in a vacuum. Visa has been steadily expanding its digital finance footprint through a series of strategic partnerships.
Earlier this month, the company partnered with the Central Bank of Syria and local financial authorities to help integrate the country into the global digital economy. It also signed a strategic agreement with Circle Asia Technologies to support expansion in Vietnam.
Last month, Visa teamed up with Aquanow to expand its stablecoin settlement capabilities across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The underlying bet here is straightforward: stablecoins offer faster, cheaper payment rails than traditional systems. For Visa, that's both a potential threat to its existing business and an opportunity to stay relevant as money goes digital. Better to lead the transition than get disrupted by it.
V Price Action: Visa shares were up 0.34% at $349.02 during premarket trading on Friday.