TLDR
Two. Visas US rollout of USDC settlement launched with two initial partners, Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, settling in USDC on Solana per a payment network update. Cross River Bank and Lead Bank
- Rail: settlement occurs in USDC on Solana with seven?day windows for faster treasury. Solana settlement and seven?day windows
- Scope: wider U.S. rollout is planned through 2026, with Visa also eyeing Circles Arc blockchain. Rollout plan and Arc design partner
Deep Dive
1. Who Launched
Two banks went live at launch: Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, settling their Visa obligations in USDC over Solana. This marks the first U.S. cohort in Visas stablecoin settlement program. Cross River Bank and Lead Bank
If you are tracking real adoption, the initial partner count is small but concrete and provides a baseline for subsequent additions.
2. Rail and Operations
USDC on Solana powers the settlement rail, enabling seven?day settlement windows (including weekends and holidays) and modernized liquidity operations without changing the consumer card experience. Solana settlement and seven?day windows
- Faster funds movement and always?on settlement improve treasury predictability for banks. Operational details
- The program followed a pilot phase that reached a $3.5 billion annualized run rate by late November. Run rate context
For institutions, seven?day settlement reduces cutoff risk and aligns with cryptos 24/7 rhythm, potentially lowering working?capital friction.
3. Rollout and Next Steps
Broader availability across the U.S. is planned through 2026, and Visa is a design partner for Circles Arc chain, which it plans to use for future USDC settlements and on which it will operate a node. Rollout plan and Arc design partner
- Early U.S. launch follows prior international pilots and advisory work with banks and fintechs. Program background
- Arcs testnet positioning suggests additional technical avenues for scaling on?chain settlement. Arc design partner
Expect more partners to join in waves; watch for formal announcements from banks and for Arcs production readiness as signals of capacity expansion.
Conclusion
Two USDC settlement partners launched at the U.S. kickoff: Cross River Bank and Lead Bank. The rail runs USDC on Solana with seven?day settlement, and expansion is planned into 2026, potentially incorporating Circles Arc chain. This is a measured move that prioritizes operational readiness over headline breadth, with clear room to add more institutions as processes mature.
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