Stripe Launches Stablecoin Accounts in Over 100 Countries

Financial infrastructure company Stripe has launched stablecoin accounts in more than 100 countries, allowing users to transact using stablecoins.

The feature was announced at Stripe’s annual user event in San Francisco, where the company unveiled a broader push into crypto and AI.

Initially, the Stablecoin Financial Accounts will let Stripe clients hold balances in Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) and Bridge’s USDB, receive payments through both traditional and crypto rails, and send stablecoins globally.

The rollout is designed to serve businesses operating in countries with volatile currencies, limited banking access, or high cross-border payment costs. Stripe says the move will help businesses “hedge against inflation, more easily access the global economy.”

The service is available in over 100 countries, including Argentina, Turkey, Chile, Colombia, and Peru—regions where stablecoins are increasingly used as a store of value and a hedge against local currency devaluation.

The launch comes as Stripe has seen a sharp rise in global stablecoin usage, with stablecoin transaction volumes surging over 50% in the past year.

Stripe was one of the first major payments companies to add crypto support, introducing Bitcoin back in 2014. But by 2018, Stripe pulled the plug, citing rising fees and slower transaction speeds.

However, in late 2024, the company returned to the sector with a “Pay with Crypto” feature, that allows merchants to accept USDC and Pax Dollar payments across Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon.

Since then, Stripe has been making moves to expand further. Earlier this year, it acquired stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge for $1.1 billion. Founded by former Coinbase executives, Bridge now powers much of Stripe’s blockchain backend, handling wallet integration, real-time settlement, and on-chain transfers.

Stripe joins other major players in the payments industry, such as PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, in rolling out stablecoin products and services.

PayPal has been actively expanding the use of its own stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD). Visa has also been investing in stablecoin infrastructure and recently partnered with Bridge to launch stablecoin payments in Latin America.