Visa Partners with Aquanow to Expand Stablecoin Transactions in CEMEA

Highlights:

• Visa partners with Aquanow to speed up stablecoin payments in CEMEA.
• The move helps lower costs and simplify cross-border transactions.
• Stablecoin adoption rises as Visa improves payment system efficiency.

Visa said it is focusing more on stablecoins in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa through a partnership with crypto company Aquanow. The company said this partnership would let settlements happen using approved stablecoins like USDC. It aims to lower costs, make operations easier, and speed up payment times.

The announcement came on Thursday. Visa said banks and payment companies are looking for faster and cheaper ways to send money across borders. Godfrey Sullivan, Visa’s head of product and solutions for the CEMEA region, said the integration would help institutions have faster and simpler settlements, showing a move toward better financial systems.

Sullivan said that Visa’s partnership with Aquanow is another step toward improving payment systems. He added that it will lower reliance on old systems with many middlemen and help institutions get ready for the future of money.

Phil Sham, CEO of Aquanow, said:

“Visa’s reliable global network has long moved money securely and efficiently. Together, Visa and Aquanow are unlocking new ways for institutions to participate in the digital economy, leveraging stablecoin technology to settle with the speed and transparency of the internet.”

Stablecoins Gain Momentum Outside Crypto

Stablecoins were first used by cryptocurrency users to move money between exchanges. Now, they are also used as alternatives to the US dollar for on-chain payments and are being adopted more by institutions for settlements and payments.

Earlier this week, Deutsche Börse, a major market infrastructure provider, said it plans to add EURAU, a euro-pegged stablecoin from AllUnity. This comes after its earlier work with Circle’s Euro Coin and Societe Generale-Forge’s EUR CoinVertible (EURCV), showing the company is expanding its digital asset plans.

Deutsche Börse said it will offer EURAU in its institutional custody services and gradually integrate more euro stablecoins across its services. This is seen as an important step for wider adoption in Europe.

Stablecoin Rules and Visa Expansion Signal Shift in Global Payments

Regulators are still discussing how stablecoins should be classified and supervised in traditional banking. Erik Thedéen, governor of the Swedish central bank and chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, said that the current 1,250% risk weighting for crypto exposures might need a different approach.

At the same time, Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden said the UK will probably follow the US in setting stablecoin rules. She indicated that major economies may regulate these digital assets similarly as they become more common in payments and settlements.

Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden said new stablecoin rules will be up and running “just as quickly as the US,” rebuffing industry concerns that Britain is falling behind on setting up a regime https://t.co/rCO8nJmdLF

— Bloomberg (@business) November 5, 2025

This is a response to a growing need among institutions for faster payment options and a desire to avoid transactions involving regular banks. According to Visa, with this integration, international transactions will be much simpler for users within the region.