At its annual Sessions event in San Francisco, Stripe unveiled major upgrades to its product ecosystem, signaling a decisive push into crypto infrastructure and artificial intelligence. The highlight announcements included the launch of Stablecoin Financial Accounts and a new AI-powered Payments Foundation Model—both designed to expand Stripe’s global payments capabilities.
The new stablecoin accounts will allow businesses in 101 countries to hold balances in dollar-pegged digital assets, accept payments via crypto or traditional rails like ACH and SEPA, and send stablecoins globally. At launch, the system supports Circle’s USDC and the newly integrated USDB via Bridge—a platform Stripe acquired last year for $1.1 billion. These accounts are aimed at simplifying cross-border payments and improving access to faster, programmable financial services.
Stripe also introduced its proprietary AI engine for payments, dubbed the Payments Foundation Model. Trained on billions of historical transactions, the model is designed to detect fraud faster and improve payment authorization rates across Stripe’s network. The company claims the model is already outperforming conventional fraud systems, especially in identifying subtle attacks such as card testing.
CEO Patrick Collison described stablecoins and AI as “gale-force tailwinds” reshaping the financial industry, positioning Stripe to lead in a rapidly evolving fintech landscape. The company’s latest moves mirror broader trends seen among major players like Visa, Robinhood, and PayPal—all of which are doubling down on digital assets amid rising institutional demand and clearer regulatory frameworks.
Stripe’s Crypto Revival Gains Traction as Global Payments Surge Past $1 Trillion
Stripe’s return to crypto comes at a moment of significant momentum for the company. In 2024, it processed $1.4 trillion in transaction volume—a 38% year-over-year increase and an amount equivalent to roughly 1.3% of global GDP. The growth cements Stripe’s role as one of the most influential infrastructure providers in modern finance.
After exiting the crypto space in 2018 due to concerns over scalability and transaction fees, Stripe has reemerged with a more robust and pragmatic strategy. Late last year, the company introduced a “Pay with Crypto” feature in partnership with Paxos, marking a key milestone in its blockchain roadmap.
Momentum accelerated with Stripe’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge, a platform focused on stablecoin settlement infrastructure. The integration has enabled Stripe to expand its crypto services portfolio—most notably with the rollout of Stablecoin Financial Accounts and new Visa-linked crypto payment options. These tools position Stripe to serve the rising demand for real-time, borderless commerce built on programmable money.
Stripe Expands Cross-Border Tools with Stablecoin and Multi-Currency Accounts
As part of its effort to simplify global transactions, Stripe’s new stablecoin accounts will initially support USDC and USDB—two dollar-backed assets recognized for regulatory clarity and ecosystem support. These accounts offer companies the ability to receive, store, and send digital dollars across jurisdictions without relying on traditional banking infrastructure.
In parallel, Stripe also launched multi-currency accounts that allow businesses to hold, convert, and spend in multiple fiat currencies including USD, EUR, and GBP. This aims to minimize costly foreign exchange fees and streamline treasury operations for global firms.
By offering both crypto-native and fiat-native accounts under one unified interface, Stripe is positioning itself as the central financial platform for global businesses—one that blends speed, transparency, and scale across payment rails.
Quick Facts
- Stablecoin Financial Accounts: Stripe’s new account product enables businesses in 100+ countries to hold and transfer USDC and USDB alongside traditional fiat.
- AI Payments Model: Stripe’s Payments Foundation Model uses deep learning to detect fraud and optimize transaction approval rates.
- Bridge Acquisition: The $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge provides Stripe with the infrastructure to power stablecoin-based payments globally.
- Visa Partnership: Integration with Visa enables stablecoin wallet holders to spend digital dollars across millions of merchant locations worldwide.
