Visa Partnered with ADI Foundation on Blockchain Rails
Financial operators should watch how new blockchain-based payment infrastructure may change settlement speeds and costs.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Financial Services
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Visa has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation to explore the integration of blockchain infrastructure into payment networks. This move follows a series of recent industry-level pilots and network expansions designed to modernize institutional value exchange.
Why it matters
As financial institutions shift toward blockchain for greater interoperability and speed, operators must monitor how these digital systems impact transaction costs and policy compliance. This partnership marks another step in the broader effort to bridge legacy payment rails with decentralized networks.
Visa reached an annualized stablecoin settlement rate of $20 billion in September 2026, a 200% increase compared to a $7 billion baseline. The network now supports nine blockchains and maintains 160 stablecoin-linked card programs.
The players
Visa
A global payments technology leader managing a vast network of merchant and consumer financial transactions.
ADI Foundation
An Abu Dhabi Global Market-registered entity founded by Sirius International Holding with a goal to connect 1 billion people to the digital economy by 2030.
Lloyds
A major British financial services group focused on retail and commercial banking.
Shinhan Financial Group
A South Korean financial holding company providing comprehensive banking and financial services.
Dunamu
A South Korean financial technology firm operating major digital asset exchange platforms.
The details
The collaboration assesses the compatibility of electronic payment networks with blockchain systems to enable faster, more efficient value movement. By working with the ADI Foundation, Visa aims to refine institutional requirements for policy compliance and interoperability. This initiative builds on previous live pilots, such as the $750,000 transaction settled by Lloyds using USDC.
Timeline
June 2026: Visa tested private stablecoin settlement with Brale and Canton.
July 2026: Visa introduced an enterprise stablecoin system.
August 2026: Visa signed infrastructure test agreements with Shinhan Financial and Dunamu.
September 2026: Visa reported a $20 billion annualized stablecoin settlement rate.
October 5, 2026: The partnership with ADI Foundation was announced.
Market Landscape
This partnership extends the institutional framework set by the 2026 enterprise stablecoin system. It follows a global trend of major financial networks integrating blockchain to improve settlement efficiency.
Operators should monitor these network-level updates as potential indicators of future changes in transaction settlement speeds and costs. While the technology is currently in pilot and exploration phases, future integration could shift how businesses process cross-border obligations.
The takeaway
Blockchain-based settlement is moving from experimental pilots to integrated network infrastructure. Track the growth of supported blockchains and settlement volumes as a signal of when these systems may become viable for your specific payment processing needs.
Further reading
For broader context on how blockchain technology is reshaping institutional banking, see the Financial Services section.
Live Poll
Would you feel comfortable using stablecoins or blockchain-based systems for your own daily financial transactions?
