Stripe Will Expand Stablecoin Cards to 100 Countries
International merchants should prepare for increased stablecoin-based payment options by the end of 2026.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Financial Services
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Stripe plans to scale its stablecoin card program to more than 100 countries by the end of 2026, building on a March 2026 launch that initially covered 18 nations. This expansion aims to capture a portion of the digital dollar market, which currently exceeds $300 billion.
Why it matters
The move signals a significant effort to shift everyday consumer spending onto blockchain-based rails, bypassing traditional banking infrastructure in favor of faster, on-chain settlement options. For operators, this indicates a move toward more liquid cross-border payment acceptance.
Stablecoin card spending reached $1.2 billion in September 2026, a significant increase from the initial program rollout across 18 countries earlier that year. The expansion targets a total digital dollar market exceeding $300 billion and leverages a network of 175 million Visa locations.
The players
Stripe
A global financial technology company that provides payment processing software and application programming interfaces for e-commerce websites.
Visa
A global payments technology company that facilitates electronic funds transfers throughout the world.
Bridge
A stablecoin infrastructure provider acquired by Stripe that enables on-chain settlement options.
Kraken
A cryptocurrency exchange platform that utilizes Stripe's stablecoin card programs.
Ramp
A financial services company that uses Stripe's stablecoin card programs to facilitate digital asset transactions.
The details
Stripe is leveraging its $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge and its 2025 purchase of Privy to build the technical infrastructure for this global rollout. By utilizing blockchain for on-chain settlements, the company moves away from legacy banking rails to facilitate payments. Stripe plans to issue stablecoins in over 30 individual markets to support this broad network reach.
Timeline
Stripe began processing cards in 2018.
Stripe acquired Bridge in 2024.
Stripe acquired Privy in 2025.
The Visa stablecoin card program launched in March 2026.
Stablecoin card spending hit $1.2 billion in September 2026.
Market Landscape
This rapid scale-up follows the 2026 launch of the Stripe-Visa stablecoin card program, marking a departure from traditional pilot-phase testing. The company is now aggressively pursuing market share within the $300 billion digital dollar ecosystem.
Operators should monitor whether their payment processors begin supporting on-chain settlement to reduce transaction times and costs. Reviewing the competitive impact of alternative payment rails will be essential as this technology reaches 100 markets by year-end.
The takeaway
The normalization of stablecoin-backed cards could fundamentally shift how cross-border trade is settled for international businesses. Track the availability of these specific settlement rails in your key operating markets to determine if lower processing fees are available.
Further reading
For more on the evolving payment technology landscape, visit the Financial Services section.
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