Western Union to Launch Solana-Based Stablecoin USDPT by Early 2026 Amid Digital Wallet Surge

Legacy Payments Giant Accelerates Blockchain Integration with Anchorage Partnership

TL;DR

• Western Union confirmed plans to launch its Solana-based stablecoin, USDPT, in early 2026.
• The move follows a surge in digital wallet adoption, now comprising over half of the firm’s digital transactions.
• The stablecoin will be issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, integrated into Western Union’s planned Digital Asset Network.

Western Union is preparing to enter the stablecoin sector with a major move set for early 2026. The company announced plans to roll out USDPT, a Solana-based stablecoin, marking its first step toward full-scale blockchain integration. The announcement came shortly after the firm’s third-quarter earnings revealed a significant jump in digital wallet adoption and account-based payouts, which now account for more than 50% of all digital transactions.

Chief Executive Officer Devin McGranahan highlighted the company’s pivot during an earnings call earlier this week, emphasizing that Western Union is leaning into “digital asset-enabled solutions” as part of its long-term transformation strategy. McGranahan, who had previously hinted at exploring stablecoin integrations back in July, noted that the idea gained momentum following the introduction of the GENIUS Act, which provides regulatory clarity for digital asset innovation.

The upcoming stablecoin, USDPT, will operate on the Solana network, known for its low-cost and high-speed transactions. Western Union’s statement described the initiative as part of an “innovative Digital Asset Network,” designed to let users send, receive, hold, and spend USDPT across a compliant and globally accessible framework. The firm underscored that the infrastructure will leverage its established compliance and risk management systems — a move aimed at ensuring the stablecoin adheres to Western Union’s existing regulatory standards across multiple jurisdictions.

Anchorage Digital Bank, a federally chartered crypto custodian, has been named the issuer of the USDPT token. The asset is expected to be listed on several yet-to-be-disclosed partner exchanges. The partnership with Anchorage signifies Western Union’s intent to bridge traditional finance with the emerging crypto market by offering a stable, regulated on-ramp for users. Industry observers expect the move to position Western Union as one of the first major payment networks to integrate blockchain infrastructure directly into its core remittance system.

McGranahan reaffirmed during the earnings call that the company has been actively assessing digital asset integrations for months, adding that Western Union views blockchain technology as a practical means to modernize cross-border settlements and reduce friction in global money transfers. The company’s foray into stablecoins builds on its earlier experiments with blockchain solutions, including a long-running test partnership with Ripple that began in 2018 to explore faster remittance channels.

The announcement also arrives as stablecoins gain traction in the global payments ecosystem. Analysts tracking the crypto price index noted that institutional interest in blockchain-based settlement systems has continued to expand despite broader volatility in the crypto price landscape. As stablecoins increasingly influence overall coin market cap trends, Western Union’s entry signals a broader acceptance of digital assets as legitimate tools for financial efficiency rather than speculative instruments.

Western Union’s USDPT initiative represents both a technological and strategic evolution. By leveraging Solana’s scalable infrastructure and Anchorage’s regulated framework, the century-old payments company is positioning itself at the intersection of traditional finance and decentralized networks. The launch, slated for early 2026, could redefine how cross-border payments are settled and measured in the crypto price index — marking a pivotal moment for the company’s digital transformation and for the broader coin market cap ecosystem it now seeks to join.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.