Visa targets APAC stablecoin demand surge

TLDR

Visa is sharpening its stablecoin strategy in Asia Pacific as consumer interest in using them for everyday payments and cross-border transfers rises sharply.

1. A Visa Consumer 360 survey shows 46% of APAC consumers are likely to use stablecoins within five years, with intent strongest in India and Vietnam.
2. Visa reports more than a 20 billion dollar annualized stablecoin settlement run rate and is piloting USDC-based payments with banks to connect crypto rails to regulated card networks.
3. For crypto users, rising APAC demand points to growth in fiat-backed stablecoins for payments and remittances, but low understanding and scam fears mean regulated providers will matter more than unlicensed platforms.

Deep Dive

1. Survey Signals Growing APAC Demand

Visas Consumer 360 study surveyed over 14,000 people across 14 Asia Pacific markets and found that 46 percent are likely to use stablecoins within five years, while 16 percent already used them in the past year. The survey highlights use cases such as online shopping, travel spending and overseas purchases rather than speculative trading, suggesting a payments-focused demand profile.

Awareness is high but uneven. Overall awareness is about 66 percent, with Hong Kong, India and Thailand near the top, and intent to use reaches roughly 67 percent in India and Vietnam according to the study reported in the Visa Consumer 360 article.

2. Visas Stablecoin Product Strategy

Visa is not just measuring sentiment; it is already settling payments in stablecoins. The company says its stablecoin settlements have surpassed a 20 billion dollar annualized run rate, growing more than fifteen times year over year. In one seven day trial, Lloyds Banking Group used USDC to settle around 750,000 dollars in live obligations with Visa, showcasing a bank to card network path using crypto-native rails.

Visas Asia Pacific head of digital currencies describes the opportunity as turning consumer interest into trusted, familiar payment experiences by connecting stablecoin technology with regulated payment services and bank partners, as outlined in the same study.

3. What It Means For Crypto Users

The survey shows a strong belief that stablecoins will become common for cross-border transfers in APAC within five years, especially when issued or supported by central bank linked entities and regulated financial institutions. At the same time, only about 6 percent of respondents accurately understand how stablecoins work, and many believe they always go up in value, while fear of scams and lack of understanding are key barriers.

For crypto users and builders, this points to three forces in APAC: rising demand for fiat backed stablecoins, a tilt toward regulated platforms and bank partnerships, and a large educational gap that could slow adoption or push users into riskier products if not addressed.

Conclusion

Visas findings suggest Asia Pacific consumers are ready to use stablecoins for everyday spending and cross-border transfers, even though understanding remains low. By scaling regulated stablecoin settlement and bank partnerships, Visa is positioning itself as a key bridge between traditional payments and crypto infrastructure, and APAC could become one of the most important regions for real world stablecoin usage over the next few years.