## Stablecoin: The Intersection of Regulation, Technology, and Traditional Finance

Today, two major financial organizations announced strategic initiatives—Visa and FDIC—both converging on the same conclusion: **stablecoins are no longer just niche crypto tools**, but are becoming the core payment infrastructure of the digital economy.

### Two Major Steps Forward for Stablecoins

**Visa is expanding its USDC payment system** to large US banks, enabling institutions to transfer stablecoin payments over the Solana network during off-hours. This is not a small pilot—it's a comprehensive rollout in the US market, directly integrated into Visa's treasury and reconciliation systems.

At the same time, **FDIC has approved the GENIUS Act framework**, detailing how FDIC-supervised banks can issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries. This framework includes governance standards, high reserve requirements, and ongoing supervision—all long-awaited by the crypto market.

### Why This Partnership Matters

When major institutions move together in the same direction, adoption accelerates dramatically. Visa reports that their banking partners are not just asking about stablecoins—they are preparing to use them. Cross River Bank, a strategic partner, confirms that fintech and crypto innovators are increasingly demanding stablecoin integration into their existing product suites.

This is a clear signal: stablecoins are shifting from the periphery to the center. BlackRock forecasts they will be a "major force by 2026"—and this prediction seems poised to be proven correct.

### Market Update: Coins and Movements

Major cryptocurrencies mostly sideways, reflecting a slowdown after weeks of strong growth:

- **Bitcoin (BTC)**: $90.65K (-0.31%)
- **Ethereum (ETH)**: $3.11K (-0.14%)
- **Solana (SOL)**: $140.13 (+1.74%)

Meanwhile, altcoins show mixed movements. **MORPHO** and **MYX** lead with impressive gains, but market memecoins mostly face pressure:

- **DOGE**: -2.94%
- **PEPE**: -3.41%
- **BONK**: -3.29%
- **PENGU**: -2.87%

Notable exception: **WOJAK** up +0.98%, indicating investors still bet on specific names.

### Other Announcements: Tokens, Protocols, and Infrastructure

The language of stablecoins is not limited to Visa and FDIC. The entire crypto ecosystem is focusing on this theme:

- **BNB** announces the launch of a new stablecoin "liquidity unification across use cases"
- **Cantor Fitzgerald** releases a 62-page report on Hyperliquid, valuing its market cap at $250B
- **Rainbow Wallet** plans TGE in February 2026, with an airdrop campaign
- **Tether** leads a funding round $8M for Speed, a Lightning-based stablecoin payment platform
- **RedotPay** raises $107M Series B funding to expand its stablecoin payment platform

These moves are not coincidental—they reflect the convergence of developers, investors, and financial institutions around stablecoins as a central theme for 2026.

### Risk Management and Compatibility

SEC recently [ended a four-year investigation into AAVE](/?post_type=post&p=5761) without recommending enforcement action, a positive sign for the DeFi market. Meanwhile, Worldcoin continues to expand with the launch of WorldID on Tinder, attempting to address identity verification by integrating into mainstream platforms.

Political figures are reconsidering their approach to crypto. New proposals for restructuring the crypto market are being discussed in the Senate, with the potential to reshape regulatory landscape.

### In Summary

Stablecoins are transitioning from niche crypto products to the foundational infrastructure of the future. As Visa, FDIC, major banks, and leading protocols move in the same direction, you know something deeper is happening. This is not just hype—it's a systemic overhaul of global payment systems, with stablecoins at the heart of it.