Visa has launched a proof-of-concept initiative with stablecoin infrastructure provider Brale to evaluate private, blockchain-based settlement for institutional payment flows using the SBC stablecoin on the Canton Network.
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Key Takeaways:
- Visa and Brale launched a proof of concept for an SBC stablecoin settlement in 2026.
- Canton Network’s privacy features are focused on institutional payment and compliance needs.
- Visa, which has been active in stablecoins since 2021, is evaluating additional settlement options.
Visa Expands Stablecoin Strategy
The collaboration focuses on SBC, a US dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Brale, and will explore whether a privacy-based blockchain infrastructure can support faster and more programmable settlement while helping institutions protect sensitive transaction data.
Visa said the initiative reflects growing interest among financial institutions in using stablecoins for settlement without sacrificing privacy, compliance and operational controls.
Focus on privacy
An important aspect of the project is the privacy architecture of the Canton Network. Unlike many public blockchain networks, Canton is designed to allow participants to transact on a shared infrastructure while limiting the visibility of transaction information.
This feature could eliminate a major concern for banks, payment companies, and large institutions evaluating blockchain-based settlement systems.
“As stablecoin adoption increases, financial institutions are assessing how they can leverage blockchain-based settlement while meeting stringent privacy and compliance requirements,” Visa said in the announcement.
Visa Expands Stablecoin Strategy
Visa started enabling stablecoin settlement in 2021 and has steadily expanded its capabilities. The company currently allows VisaNet obligations to be settled using supported stablecoins.
Under the latest partnership, Visa will evaluate whether SBC can serve as an additional stablecoin option for institutional settlement use cases.
Because SBC is natively supported on Canton, the companies can test real payment flows using a privacy-protecting infrastructure.
Executive Notes
“Stablecoin settlement has demonstrated how blockchain infrastructure can improve the speed and efficiency of money movements,” said Cuy Sheffield, head of crypto at Visa.
Sheffield added that the project will help Visa evaluate how SBC at Canton can support institutional settlement applications that require both programmability and privacy controls.
Ben Milne, founder and CEO of Brale, said financial institutions are increasingly looking for a stablecoin infrastructure that meets operational, regulatory and privacy requirements.
“Working with Visa to explore SBC on Canton is an important step toward making stablecoin-based settlement for real-world payment flows more practical and scalable,” Milne said.
What it means for the industry
The announcement highlights the continued institutional exploration of stablecoins as a settlement layer for global payments.
For market participants, the initiative underlines a broader trend in which major financial companies are moving beyond public blockchain experiments and exploring infrastructure tailored to enterprise requirements.
While the project remains a proof of concept, it signals continued interest in stablecoin-based payment systems that combine blockchain efficiency with privacy and compliance features sought by regulated institutions.
Visa said it views stablecoins as a scalable, next-generation settlement technology and plans to continue exploring blockchain infrastructure that can meet institutional standards for interoperability, compliance and privacy.