Sam Altman’s Worldcoin is reportedly in discussions with Visa about integrating stablecoin payment functionality into its wallet. This furthers the company’s aim to expand its functionality beyond World ID identity verification by introducing fintech applications, foreign exchange (FX) services, and crypto-based payments.
This development follows the launch earlier this month of World Chat, an encrypted messaging application that allows users to transfer funds within the network using cryptocurrency.
Worldcoin Stablecoin Plans and Visa’s Fit
The integration with Visa aims to transform the wallet into a “mini bank account” that supports fiat deposits and withdrawals alongside stablecoin transactions. This would enable users to leverage Visa’s vast merchant network to make purchases using stablecoins at thousands of retail locations worldwide.
Furthermore, Visa has been at the leading edge of stablecoin adoption since 2021. This has been driven by the success of its pilot of USDC settlements with Crypto.com over the Ethereum blockchain.
Since then, the payment processor has expanded its capabilities by integrating stablecoins into cross-border settlement processes and partnering with merchant acquirers like Worldpay and Nuvei. It also recently added support for Solana’s high-performance blockchain to accelerate transaction speeds and reduce costs.
The company’s treasury infrastructure already supports stablecoin reconciliation and currency conversion, which will enable seamless integration with blockchain wallets like World Network’s.
Way Forward for Blockchain-based Payments
Tools for Humanity, a company that develops and contributes to Worldcoin, has reportedly submitted product proposals to card issuers in an effort to integrate Visa card functionality into World Network wallets.
Additionally, it is exploring partnerships with Rain, a crypto card service provider backed by Coinbase and Circle. The partnerships aim to enable a fully connected wallet strategy that supports everything from FX trading to crypto payment on a single platform.
If this collaboration succeeds, it could boost Worldcoin’s competitive edge against other crypto wallets by offering unparalleled access to Visa’s merchant ecosystem and advanced fintech features.
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