The passage of the Guiding Establishment of National Innovation with Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) by the U.S. Senate marks a pivotal development in the regulatory clarity surrounding stablecoins. As one of the world’s leading payment networks, Visa has responded with strategic foresight. Jack Forestell, Chief Strategy and Product Officer at Visa, published an insightful piece titled The Potential Genius of GENIUS, offering a comprehensive view on how stablecoins could reshape digital payments. His perspective aligns with CEO Ryan McInerney’s public statements—confirming that Visa is not merely observing but actively preparing for the stablecoin era.
With decades of experience in global value transfer, Visa operates at the intersection of innovation and trust. Their insights carry weight: “When the water warms, ducks are the first to know.” In this evolving landscape, we’ll explore Visa’s three-layer framework for stablecoin adoption, examine real-world applications, and analyze what true mass adoption requires.
A “Potential” Turning Point in Payment History
Jack Forestell describes the GENIUS Act as a “potential” milestone—not because its impact is uncertain, but because scaling stablecoins demands more than legislation. While stablecoins unlock the promise of programmable digital money, widespread adoption hinges on solving complex challenges across technology, reserves, and user experience.
“We’ve been embracing stablecoins,” said Ryan McInerney in a CNBC interview. “The world hasn’t changed overnight—but we’ve been preparing for this moment.”
Building trust in new payment systems takes time. It requires alignment among buyers, sellers, issuers, and regulators—anchored in security, fraud protection, dispute resolution, ease of use, and continuous innovation.
Visa identifies three foundational layers for stablecoin success:
1. The Technology Layer
A robust, scalable, and secure infrastructure is essential. Transactions must be fast, reliable, and resistant to failures or breaches. Blockchain advancements have laid the groundwork, but interoperability and performance at scale remain critical.
2. The Reserve Layer
Stability breeds trust. Regulated, reserve-backed stablecoins like USDC and PYUSD provide confidence in value preservation—addressing volatility concerns that plague other cryptocurrencies.
3. The Interface Layer
This is where most projects fail. For stablecoins to go mainstream, they must integrate seamlessly into everyday life:
- Users need trusted interfaces that support both sending and receiving.
- The system must scale to billions of participants.
- Crucially, users must easily convert stablecoins into local fiat currencies—solving the “last mile” problem.
Without solving this final layer, stablecoins will remain confined to niche use cases: closed-loop ecosystems, wholesale finance, or crypto-native transactions—not everyday consumer payments.
👉 Discover how leading platforms are bridging the gap between crypto and real-world spending.
Solving the Last Mile: Strategic Moves by Major Players
Several companies are building the missing links between stablecoin infrastructure and mass usability:
- Visa invested in BVNK, a regulated banking platform, enabling integration with payment giants like Worldpay and LianLian Pay—extending reach across online and offline merchants via Visa Direct and card products.
- Circle, issuer of USDC, launched the Circle Payments Network, partnering with global financial institutions to streamline cross-border settlements.
- Stripe acquired Bridge and Privy to embed stablecoin capabilities into its B2B2C stack, empowering platforms like Shopify.
- Ripple evolved from XRP to RippleNet and now RLUSD—a regulated stablecoin targeting institutional flows.
- PayPal leveraged its 400 million-user ecosystem (including Venmo) to launch PYUSD, applying lessons from its early digital payment adoption playbook.
PayPal’s mass adoption model outlines three stages:
- Awareness – triggered by regulatory milestones like the GENIUS Act.
- Utility – where we stand today: functional but limited use cases.
- Ubiquity – when stablecoin payments become invisible, effortless, and embedded in daily routines.
This mirrors Visa’s own vision: payment technology should fade into the background. Just as users don’t think about telecom protocols when browsing the web, future consumers shouldn’t need to know about blockchains to benefit from them.
👉 See how global payment networks are integrating blockchain without disrupting user experience.
Can Stablecoins Replace Traditional Payment Giants?
Despite Visa’s openness to stablecoins, disruption looms. Retail behemoths like Walmart and Amazon are reportedly exploring their own stablecoins—to bypass credit card fees and capture billions in savings.
Consider these realities:
- Walmart pays ~$10B annually in card fees on $648B revenue. Eliminating these costs could boost profitability by over 60%.
- Chipotle spends $148M yearly on processing fees—reducing them could increase profits by 12%.
- Kroger, with razor-thin margins below 2%, pays nearly as much in fees as it earns in net income. Stablecoin adoption could double its profit.
Stripe already offers stablecoin payments at 1.5%, 30% lower than standard card rates—proving cost efficiency is achievable.
For Visa, this presents both threat and opportunity. Their response? Leverage their unmatched network of 48 billion credentials and 14 billion digital tokens—not to resist change, but to enable it.
Where Do Stablecoins Actually Solve Real Problems?
Jack Forestell often asks: “What problems do stablecoins really solve?”
The answer isn’t found in Silicon Valley—but across the Global South.
While U.S. markets enjoy efficient banking (90%+ financial efficiency), many emerging economies operate far below that threshold. In countries facing high inflation, currency instability, or limited banking access, stablecoins offer transformative value.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino revealed that over 60% of USDT usage occurs outside crypto trading—primarily in emerging markets for remittances, savings, and commerce. In nations like Nigeria, Argentina, or Vietnam, stablecoins can lift financial efficiency from 30% to 70%, enabling:
- Protection against hyperinflation
- Access to dollar-denominated savings
- Faster, cheaper cross-border remittances
Worldpay data shows low card penetration in Africa—where cash still dominates. Yet mobile adoption is soaring. This creates fertile ground for digital dollar solutions.
“Tether’s real advantage isn’t just tech—it’s distribution,” notes industry analysts. With 450 million users across 3 billion unbanked individuals, Tether has built a de facto dollar rail network where traditional finance cannot reach.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Q: Will stablecoins replace credit cards soon?
A: Not immediately. In developed markets with mature digital banking, the incremental benefit is small. However, in underbanked regions, stablecoins already serve as a primary financial tool.
Q: Is Visa threatened by stablecoins?
A: Only if it fails to adapt. Visa’s strategy isn’t resistance—it’s integration. By offering settlement rails, compliance tools, and merchant access, Visa positions itself as an enabler rather than a gatekeeper.
Q: What makes a stablecoin truly useful?
A: Utility beyond speculation. Real-world spending, payroll distribution, remittances, and programmable payments (e.g., automatic subscriptions or conditional transfers) define meaningful adoption.
Q: How does regulation affect stablecoin growth?
A: The GENIUS Act brings clarity—essential for institutional participation. Clear rules around reserves, audits, and issuer liability reduce risk and invite broader investment.
Q: Can anyone issue a stablecoin?
A: Technically yes—but trust comes from transparency, regulation, and liquidity. Only compliant, reserve-audited tokens like USDC or PYUSD gain widespread acceptance.
Q: Are stablecoins safe for everyday use?
A: When issued by regulated entities and used through secure platforms, yes. Risks exist with unregulated tokens or poor custody practices—but these are mitigated through due diligence.
Final Thoughts: The Road to Ubiquity
Stablecoins aren’t just another crypto trend—they represent a fundamental shift in how value moves globally. But technology alone won’t drive adoption. Success depends on trust, accessibility, and seamless integration.
Visa understands this better than most. Their “Visa as a Service” stack—combining scale, security, and global connectivity—offers a powerful bridge between traditional finance and decentralized innovation.
As awareness grows and utility expands, the next phase belongs to those who solve real problems for real people—not just build faster blockchains.