Key Takeaways
- New Stablecoin Subscriptions: Stripe introduced a feature allowing businesses to accept recurring payments in stablecoins, like USDC, settling directly in fiat currency.
- Improved Blockchain Functionality: A new smart contract lets users save crypto wallets for automatic payments, eliminating the need for manual transaction approvals.
- Regulatory Expansion via Bridge: Stripe’s stablecoin unit, Bridge, has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to form a federally regulated trust bank.
- Unified Stablecoin Strategy: The dual rollout underscores Stripe’s broader plan to integrate stablecoin infrastructure across its ecosystem, combining innovation in payments with federal compliance efforts.
Stripe, one of the world’s largest online payment processors, has expanded its cryptocurrency offerings by introducing stablecoin-based subscription payments, marking a new phase in stablecoin adoption for businesses.
The new feature allows companies to accept recurring payments in stablecoins such as USDC, with settlements made directly in fiat currency. Businesses can also manage both fiat and stablecoin subscriptions from the Stripe Dashboard and integrate them with the company’s Optimized Checkout Suite and Billing platform.
To address a key limitation of blockchain payments, which require users to manually approve each transaction, Stripe has developed a smart contract that enables customers to save crypto wallets as payment methods and authorize automatic recurring payments. The system supports more than 400 wallets and functions similarly to saving a card on file.
According to the company, the feature will begin in private preview for U.S.-based businesses, supporting USDC payments on the Base and Polygon blockchains.
“Stablecoin payments help us reduce our cost of revenue for payments from around the globe, attract more tech-forward users, and reach folks who don’t have access to other payment methods,” said Alex Mashrabov, CEO of AI startup Higgsfield.
Stripe Bridge Applies for OCC Charter as Stablecoin Strategy Expands
In a parallel effort to strengthen its role in digital asset infrastructure, Bridge, the stablecoin arm of Stripe, has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to organize a national trust bank as competition in the sector intensifies.
According to co-founder Zack Abrams, the application aims to bring Bridge under a unified federal supervisory framework consistent with the GENIUS Act, providing clearer oversight for its stablecoin operations.
The proposed National Trust Bank would allow Stripe to issue, redeem, and custody stablecoins within a federally regulated structure.
Abrams said such approval could enable Bridge to “tokenize trillions of dollars” in financial assets, describing it as a significant step toward closer integration between traditional finance and blockchain-based infrastructure.
Read More: Standard Chartered Sees $1 Trillion Shifting From Banks to Stablecoins; When Will It Happen?
