Solayer Debuts Visa-Ready USDC Card for USDC Payments

Solayer, a Layer-1 blockchain developer behind the infiniSVM framework, has unveiled a Visa-compatible physical card that lets users spend USDC balances directly in stores, online, and via contactless payments. The card integrates with Solayer Pay, the company’s digital wallet and payments platform, expanding the utility of stablecoins beyond on-chain transfers to everyday retail use.

According to Solayer Pay’s announcement, existing users can request the card at no cost, while new entrants are charged a $20 annual activation fee. The launch follows Solayer’s April 2025 rollout of Emerald Card, which reached about 40,000 users across more than 100 countries. The new physical card is designed to widen access to crypto-enabled spending by linking Solayer Pay accounts to the Visa payment network, enabling spending of USDC balances globally.

The card supports ATM withdrawals in regions where such services are supported and can be ordered directly through the Solayer Pay app. Solayer emphasizes that the card is built to bridge the gap between digital assets and traditional payment rails, allowing users to pay with stablecoins when converting on the fly at point-of-sale terminals.

In tandem with the card, Solayer highlights its broader platform, which already enables storing, transferring, and spending digital assets through Visa-linked payment infrastructure. The company also notes the existence of infiniSVM, a layer-1 network designed to run high-throughput on-chain applications while leveraging Solana (SOL) for gas fees.

Solayer’s push into physical cards sits within a wider industry trend: stablecoin-backed payment cards linked to major card networks like Visa and Mastercard are expanding rapidly as more issuers and processors participate in crypto-for-pay programs. The landscape includes several notable recent moves by other players in the space, underscoring shifting consumer and merchant attitudes toward digital assets in everyday commerce.

Key takeaways Solayer launches a Visa-enabled physical card tied to USDC through Solayer Pay, broadening access to on- and off-chain spend for holders of the stablecoin. Existing Solayer users can obtain the card for free, while new users incur a $20 annual activation fee. The card operates within Solayer’s Visa-linked payments ecosystem and supports ATM cash withdrawals in supported regions.

Solayer also markets infiniSVM, its layer-1 network compatible with the Solana Virtual Machine, intended to support high-throughput on-chain applications with SOL used as gas fees. The move is part of a broader trend toward stablecoin payment cards, with major players expanding coverage and capabilities across networks and jurisdictions.

DefiLlama data shows the stablecoin market growing to roughly $322.5 billion, up from about $243.3 billion in May 2025, highlighting growing demand for off-chain spend and cross-border payments. USDT remains the dominant stablecoin by market cap (about $189.7 billion, ~58.8% of the market), followed by USDC at around $76.7 billion, signaling continued concentration in the stablecoin sector.

Stablecoins and the card-ification of payments The Solayer card arrives as a wave of stablecoin-linked cards gains momentum across the ecosystem. In January, OKX introduced a Mastercard-linked card for European users via regulated issuer Monavate, enabling spend of USDC and Paxos’ USDG.

The following month, MetaMask expanded a Mastercard-backed crypto card across the United States, including New York, allowing self-custodial-wallet users to pay with digital assets directly at merchants. In March, Visa and Stripe-backed Bridge broadened a stablecoin card program to 18 countries and signaled plans to reach more than 100 countries by the end of 2026, while Mastercard moved to acquire BVNK, a stablecoin infrastructure company serving payments across more than 130 countries, in a deal valued at up to $1.8 billion.