trending
Finastra has unveiled a strategic collaboration with Circle to embed stablecoin settlement into global cross-border payment flows, marking a significant step in the integration of blockchain technology with mainstream banking infrastructure.
Stablecoin cross-border payments
The initiative centres on Finastra’s Global PAYplus (GPP) platform, a hub that already processes more than $5 trillion in cross-border transactions daily.
By connecting to Circle’s infrastructure, banks will be able to settle transactions in USDC — a fully reserved, regulated stablecoin pegged to the US dollar — while still handling payment instructions in traditional fiat currencies.
This model preserves compliance and FX processes, but introduces a faster and more cost-efficient settlement option.
The move is designed to address long-standing inefficiencies in correspondent banking networks, which often involve multiple intermediaries and delays.
By leveraging USDC, settlement can occur near-instantly, providing banks with optionality that blends the resilience of established systems with the innovation of digital assets.
Chris Walters, Finastra’s chief executive, emphasised that the partnership gives banks “the tools they need to innovate in cross-border payments without having to build a standalone payment processing infrastructure.”
For Circle, whose CEO Jeremy Allaire hailed Finastra’s global reach, the agreement represents an important step in embedding stablecoins within regulated financial ecosystems.
The collaboration highlights the growing role of blockchain and stablecoins in reimagining international money movement.
While central bank digital currencies remain under discussion, private sector solutions such as USDC are already reshaping expectations around speed, transparency and cost in payments.
As banks look to modernise their offerings, partnerships of this nature could accelerate the adoption of digital settlement rails, providing a bridge between legacy banking systems and the emerging tokenised economy.
Comments