Visa, Stellar, and MoneyGram: Coopetition for a Faster, Fairer Financial Future
The Power of Coopetition: Giants Collaborating for Global Good
In the high-stakes world of finance, “coopetition”, that blend of competition and cooperation, is proving to be the secret sauce for progress. Visa, Stellar ($XLM), and MoneyGram are leading the charge, teaming up to make payments quicker, cheaper, and more inclusive. At recent events like the 2025 Money20/20 conference, leaders from these powerhouses gathered to explore how shared tech can bridge gaps for the unbanked, turning rivals into allies. For crypto newcomers, it’s like old-school banks and blockchain shaking hands: Visa’s global reach, Stellar’s speedy rails, and MoneyGram’s cash network unite for seamless flows. As Visa’s Ryan McInerney noted, “We’re embracing stablecoins to prepare for this moment.” The result? A connected system where money moves like data, fast, fair, and for everyone.
Visa’s Stablecoin Push: Adding Stellar to the Mix
Moreover, Visa’s 2025 expansion of its stablecoin settlement platform is a game-changer, now including Stellar alongside Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche. This lets clients settle payments in USDC, PYUSD, USDG, and EURC across these chains, slashing costs and delays for cross-border trades. Specifically, Stellar’s 5-second settlements and sub-penny fees make it ideal for high-volume remittances, think billions flowing from Europe to Asia without SWIFT’s drag. Visa’s platform, processing $33 trillion in stablecoin volume (more than Visa’s own $13T), highlights the shift: Traditional cards meet tokenized money. For businesses, it’s programmable payments, automate supplier payouts or customer refunds in stablecoins, compliant and instant. As McInerney put it, this “flexibility” empowers clients to choose the best chain for the job.
MoneyGram’s Stellar Bridge: Cash Meets Crypto
Furthermore, MoneyGram’s three-year partnership with Stellar is the on-the-ground hero here, turning crypto into cash you can touch. Since 2021, they’ve built the world’s largest cash on/off-ramp network, with 400,000+ locations in 170 countries letting users swap USDC for local currency, zero fees for the first year on select services. In September 2025, MoneyGram launched its next-gen app in Colombia, blending fiat and stablecoins for remittances: Send USD, receive pesos at 6,000 spots, or spend via Visa/Mastercard links. CEO Anthony Soohoo envisions “universal financial access,” with Stellar handling the blockchain backbone for instant, low-cost conversions. For migrants, 281 million globally, it’s a lifeline: Hedge against inflation with USDC, cash out locally, no 7% fees vanishing. This ties into Visa’s ecosystem, where stablecoin settlements feed into MoneyGram’s ramps for hybrid fiat-crypto flows.
Coopetition in Action: Faster, Fairer Connections
Equally important, these players aren’t hoarding tech, they’re sharing it, proving coopetition drives real change. Visa’s platform settles on Stellar, which powers MoneyGram’s ramps, creating a loop: Businesses pay suppliers via Visa-stablecoin, recipients cash out at MoneyGram, all compliant under regs like the GENIUS Act. For example, in Colombia’s pilot, users hold USDC to beat peso volatility, then spend globally, a far cry from slow wires. This “connected system” cuts exclusion: 1.7 billion unbanked get in via simple apps, with transparency tracking every dollar. Leaders at Money20/20 stressed: Coopetition isn’t zero-sum; it’s about scaling access, from Africa’s Flutterwave corridors to SE Asia’s AEON stores.
The Bigger Win: A Financial System for All
Ultimately, Visa, Stellar, and MoneyGram’s push isn’t about one winner, it’s a fairer web where money flows freely, empowering the overlooked. For $XLM holders, it’s utility exploding volumes; for senders, it’s fees slashed and waits gone. Platforms like Lumexo make trading $XLM or USDC effortless with low fees. As 2025’s GENIUS Act settles regs, expect trillions in stablecoin flows. In short, coopetition isn’t buzz, it’s the blueprint for finance that works for everyone, faster and fairer than ever.