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Western Union has selected Solana for its Digital Asset Network and USDPT stablecoin, which it expects to be rolled out in the first half of 2026.
Financial services company Western Union has said its forthcoming stablecoin settlement system will use the Solana blockchain.
Announced during the company’s third-quarter earnings call last week, the stablecoin system will consist of the US Dollar Payment Token (USDPT) and the Digital Asset Network, which will be built in partnership with Anchorage Digital Bank, Western Union said on Tuesday.
The company expects that USDPT will launch in the first half of 2026, providing customer access through partner exchanges to broaden accessibility, similar to how the PayPal USD (PYUSD) stablecoin is listed on Binance and other exchanges.
It added that the Digital Asset Network will serve as a cash off-ramp for the remittance platform’s more than 150 million customers, spread across over 200 countries and territories.
Speaking at the Money 20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Western Union CEO Devin McGranahan said his team compared many other alternatives and concluded that Solana was the “right choice” for building an institutional-ready stablecoin platform.
"For 175 years, we've been connecting people, moving $150 billion a year. Digital assets is the next evolution.
We looked at alternatives, and came to the conclusion that Solana was the right choice."
- Devin McGranahan, CEO, Western Union pic.twitter.com/8ni2b47ktk
Traditional payment platforms are increasingly exploring blockchain for cross-border remittances, with proponents saying the technology is faster, cheaper and more transparent than traditional payment rails.
Zelle, MoneyGram make stablecoin moves
On Friday, the parent company behind payments platform Zelle said it would launch stablecoins to fuel faster cross-border payments, while MoneyGram announced in mid-September that it would integrate its crypto app in Colombia to offer a USDC (USDC) wallet for locals.
GENIUS Act boosts stablecoin plans
The rise in stablecoin adoption coincides with increased regulatory clarity in the US following the signing of the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act into law by President Donald Trump in July.
Related: Polymarket will likely start initial US relaunch in November: Report
Last week, McGranahan said Western Union initially refrained from crypto due to concerns with market volatility, regulatory uncertainty and customer protection, but passage of the GENIUS Act changed that course.
The US Treasury Department estimated in April that the stablecoin market was worth $311.5 billion and is estimated to reach $2 trillion by 2028.
Western Union’s move into the stablecoin arena comes a little over three months after it first hinted at plans to integrate stablecoins in July.
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