Visa Adds Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo to Stablecoin Settlement Pilot

• Lyla Velez
• April 30, 2026
• News
• 0 Comments

Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlement pilot by adding five new blockchain networks, Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo, bringing the total number of supported networks to nine.

Visa expands its stablecoin settlement pilot across five more networks

New networks added

The payments giant announced the addition of five blockchain networks to its stablecoin settlement pilot. The newly integrated chains are Arc, Base, Canton, Polygon, and Tempo.

Each of the five additions represents a distinct blockchain ecosystem. Base is Coinbase’s Layer 2 network built on Ethereum, while Polygon operates as a scaling solution for Ethereum-compatible applications. Arc, Canton, and Tempo broaden the pilot’s reach into newer infrastructure layers.

Total supported networks now stands at nine

With these five additions, Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot now spans nine blockchain networks. The expansion from four to nine networks marks a significant scaling of the program’s blockchain coverage.

The move comes as stablecoin settlement volumes across the payments industry continue to grow. Cointelegraph has reported on Visa’s stablecoin settlement trajectory, noting the scale of the company’s run rate in this area.

Why nine-network support matters for Visa’s stablecoin strategy

Why multi-network support matters

Supporting nine distinct blockchains gives Visa’s settlement infrastructure flexibility in routing stablecoin payments. Different networks offer varying tradeoffs in speed, cost, and finality, and multi-chain support allows the system to optimize for each transaction’s requirements.

For builders and partners working with Visa’s settlement layer, broader network coverage means more options for integration. Projects building on Base or Polygon can now settle stablecoins through Visa’s pilot without bridging to a different chain first.

This kind of multi-network flexibility has parallels in how USDT-powered real estate transactions through platforms like RealOpen and TRON have demonstrated stablecoin utility beyond simple transfers.

Pilot expansion versus full rollout

The language around the update is important: this remains a pilot. Visa is expanding the scope of its testing and integration work, not announcing a production-grade settlement system available to all merchants.

Pilot programs allow companies to stress-test infrastructure, assess regulatory considerations, and refine workflows before committing to full-scale deployment. The jump from four to nine networks suggests Visa is moving through that evaluation process with increasing confidence.

What this update means for crypto payments watchers

When the world’s largest payment network expands its blockchain footprint, it sends a signal to the broader industry. Visa processes billions of transactions annually, and its continued investment in stablecoin settlement infrastructure validates the technology’s role in mainstream finance.

The selection of networks like Base and Polygon, both of which have substantial developer ecosystems, suggests Visa is prioritizing chains where real-world usage already exists. This contrasts with approaches that focus on a single chain, as discussions around Bitcoin as an open money protocol have highlighted different philosophies in payment network design.

For investors tracking institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure, Visa’s pilot expansion adds to a growing list of traditional finance players engaging with on-chain settlement. The concrete takeaway: five new networks were added, and the broader debate about traditional banking versus decentralized alternatives now has another data point from one of finance’s largest incumbents.

The pilot now supports nine total networks, and the pace of additions suggests further expansion could follow as Visa evaluates additional blockchain ecosystems for settlement compatibility.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.