Visa expands stablecoin capabilities on Visa Direct through collaboration with zerohash, connecting to 18 billion endpoints.
DeFi & Yields ·
Visa Direct is integrating stablecoin functionality through a partnership with Zerohash, a crypto infrastructure provider, enabling participating clients to fund accounts and execute cross-border transfers using blockchain-based assets. The arrangement permits businesses to pre-load stablecoin balances into Visa Direct before initiating payouts, while recipients have the option to collect payments directly in stablecoins rather than local currencies. According to Zerohash founder and CEO Edward Woodford, the integration "accelerates adoption globally" by embedding stablecoin capabilities at the network infrastructure level.
The move reflects Visa's broader strategy to embed digital currency functionality into its existing payments infrastructure. Earlier in the year, Visa piloted similar capabilities with fintech partner BVNK, and in July introduced the Visa Stablecoin Platform to equip financial institutions with issuance, custody, and settlement tools. Zerohash itself has expanded its footprint in recent months, having applied for a national trust bank charter in March and powered institutional cryptocurrency trading infrastructure for Morgan Stanley's E*Trade platform.
The arrangement leaves several operational details unspecified: how eligibility for Visa Direct clients will be determined, which stablecoins qualify for the integration, and rollout timelines remain unconfirmed. Neither settlement finality nor regulatory oversight mechanisms have been detailed.