Solution: Cross-border payments

Global payments reimagined

Enable low-cost money transfers to more countries so you can save your customers money and still grow your margins.

Talk to our team
Payroll

USDC enables 35% average savings for global businesses paying contractors in emerging markets.

Read their story
International remittances

USDC enables low-cost, instant P2P remittances from the US to Mexico via WhatsApp.

P2P payments

USDC facilitates customers sending money across the African continent for free.

Marketplace Payouts

USDC enables marketplaces to orchestrate international payouts.

Say goodbye to high-cost, slow settlement

How does sending USDC via blockchain compare to using SWIFT and correspondent banks?

More competitive rates, faster payments, and a better experience for your customers.

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Rapid Settlement

Payments settle near instantly, 24/7, including on nights and weekends

Constrained to local business hours

 

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No Intermediaries

Money is directly transferred from the sender to the receiver

Transferred through multiple, fee-charging correspondent banks

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Full Visibility

The sender has full visibility into where their money is at all times

No visibility into money in transit

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Currency Optionality

The receiver can keep their funds in USDC or convert it to local currency

Holding only local currency

Offer dollar stability to your users

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Products that support this solution

USDC

Regulated1, digital currency that can be redeemed 1:1 for US dollars.

Learn About USDC

Circle Mint

Allows you to convert US dollars to USDC at scale.

Explore Circle Mint
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Products that support this solution

USDC

Regulated1, digital currency that can be redeemed 1:1 for US dollars.

Learn About USDC

Circle Mint

Allows you to convert US dollars to USDC at scale.

Explore Circle Mint

Programmable Wallets

Upon receiving USDC, users can hold it or convert to their local currency using an on/off-ramp provider.

Discover Programmable Wallets

Receive local currency

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Products that support this solution

USDC

Regulated1, digital currency that can be redeemed 1:1 for US dollars.

Learn About USDC

Circle Mint

Allows you to convert US dollars to USDC at scale.

Explore Circle Mint

Receive USDC

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Products that support this solution

USDC

Regulated1, digital currency that can be redeemed 1:1 for US dollars.

Learn About USDC

Circle Mint

Allows you to convert US dollars to USDC at scale.

Explore Circle Mint

Programmable Wallets

Upon receiving USDC, users can hold it or convert to their local currency using an on/off-ramp provider.

Discover Programmable Wallets

How to Build Cross-Border Payments Solution with Circle USDC

Learn how in the blog
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Why USDC

Stable

Regulated digital currency you can always exchange 1:1 for US dollars.

Transparent

Reserve composition and monthly attestations publicly available.

Trusted

Widely used on popular exchanges and available natively on 15+ blockchains.

Discover how Circle can
help your business

Talk to our team

Explore resources to start building with USDC

Visit developer hub

FAQs

Circle’s cross-border payments solution differs from SWIFT wires powered by correspondent banking in the following ways:

  • 24/7 settlement: USDC’s instant settlement vs. SWIFT’s end-of-business-day bulk settlement means that you lower your cost of capital and global liquidity needs.
  • Fewer intermediaries: Circle’s cross-border payment solution does not require the involvement of correspondent banks. Payments go directly from sender to receiver regardless of which countries they’re in. As a result, correspondent banking fees and settlement delays and risks are minimized. Additionally, Circle’s solution makes it easier and cheaper to reach less-developed countries with suboptimal financial infrastructure.
  • Receiver choice: Your recipient can receive either USDC or local currency depending on their personal preference. 
  • Real-time visibility: You know where your funds are at all times. There is no guessing as to where they may be stuck in transit.

See how Felix uses USDC as a SWIFT alternative.

While other blockchain cross-border payments solutions are available, Circle’s solution sets itself apart from the rest because it is:

  • Public: USDC is an open protocol that lives on public blockchains. This makes USDC more useful to recipients because they can off-ramp it or send it to others.
  • Open and interoperable: USDC works across multiple blockchains and has deep liquidity in decentralized finance applications, meaning your holdings aren’t reliant on a single company for utility.
  • Stable: USDC is redeemable 1:1 for US dollars for Circle Mint customers, making it a stable store of value as well as a payment mechanism.
  • One-stop shop: Circle offers stablecoins, wallets, smart contracts and other blockchain development tools all under one roof.

Cross border payments with Circle and USDC are completed in three easy steps:

  1. Access USDC: Access USDC using either Circle Mint, an exchange, or another liquidity provider.
  2. Send USDC to recipient: Initiate a blockchain transaction to the wallet of the recipient over blockchain.
  3. Distribute to beneficiaries: Beneficiaries can receive USDC in their wallets (see how you can create in-app wallets using Programmable Wallets) or they can receive local currency in their bank accounts. 

Traditional cross-border payments may be processed by correspondent banking networks, which can involve funds moving through multiple intermediary institutions that may each charge a fee and take a day or more to process each leg of the transaction.

Some regions lack adequate banking infrastructure, leading to unbanked or underbanked populations. In these cases, traditional payments may be difficult or impossible, while USDC cross-border payments can be completed with just an internet-connected device and a digital wallet, no bank account is required.

Circle’s cross-border payment solution is secure because it is built on USDC and leverages blockchain technology to complete transactions. Circle’s USDC reserves are transparent, audited monthly, and backed by cash and cash-equivalent assets.

1 A full list of Circle’s licenses can be found here