Worldpay from FIS Becomes First Global Merchant Acquirer to Offer Direct USDC Settlement, Driving Digital Currency Adoption to Businesses

Rhea-AI Summary

FIS has announced that its Worldpay business will be the first global merchant acquirer to offer merchants the ability to receive settlements in USD Coin (USDC), a rapidly growing digital currency. This move aims to facilitate both crypto-native and traditional businesses in adopting digital assets, allowing them to manage stablecoins efficiently. Crypto.com will be a pilot merchant for this initiative. As of April 2022, USDC has over $51 billion in circulation, highlighting its appeal in the market.

Positive

• Worldpay's initiative to allow USDC settlements positions FIS as a leader in cryptocurrency merchant services.
• Partnership with Circle enhances FIS's offerings in the growing digital currency space.
• Access to stablecoins may drive digital asset adoption among traditional businesses.

Negative

• None.

Key facts:

• Worldpay from FIS will allow merchants to receive settlement in USD Coin (USDC).
• USDC is one of the fastest growing dollar digital currencies redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars.
• Crypto.com to be pilot merchant for Worldpay’s USDC settlement offering.
• A leader in Card-to-Crypto processing, Worldpay provides services for 4 of the top 5 cryptocurrency exchanges.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Financial technology leader FIS^® (NYSE: FIS) announces that its Worldpay from FIS business will be the first global merchant acquirer to offer merchants the ability to receive settlement directly in USD Coin (USDC), a fully reserved dollar digital currency.

Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency pegged to a ‘stable’ reserve asset (such as the U.S. dollar) and can be redeemed one-to-one. USDC is one of the fastest growing, regulated dollar digital currencies with more than $51 billion in circulation as of April 2022.¹

By teaming up with Circle, a global financial technology firm that provides payments and financial infrastructure to businesses of all sizes, and the sole issuer of USDC, Worldpay will enable both crypto-native and traditional businesses to build a fit-for-purpose settlement and treasury strategy that caters to their preferred currency for conducting business. Companies will no longer be constrained by payment service providers offering a fiat-only ecosystem and can instead leverage an innovative adoption of crypto payment rails to directly receive, hold, and transfer stablecoins in a fast and efficient manner. Crypto.com, the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency platform, will act as a pilot customer for the USDC settlement proposition offered by Worldpay.

For traditional merchants and other corporates, the ability to receive settlement in stablecoins can help drive adoption of digital assets by enabling them to enter and experiment with cryptocurrency in a less volatile and lower-touch environment.

“Cryptocurrencies, for the most part, tend to be quite volatile and lack the ability to redeem at a predictable exchange rate in large quantities. That is why USDC is so popular among consumers who use crypto exchanges, and why it is so appealing to traditional merchants and other corporates,” said Nabil Manji, SVP, Head of Crypto and Web3 at Worldpay from FIS. “By making it easier and more efficient for crypto-native companies and other corporates to receive and manage stablecoins, this will further drive corporate innovation in payments and benefit the consumer ecosystem.”

“Integrating with Worldpay is a major step for Circle, USDC and the fintech sector as a whole,” said Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and CEO of Circle. “It is a glimpse into a future where value is exchanged frictionlessly, all possible because we’re building the next generation of financial solutions.”

Worldpay from FIS is an experienced Card-to-Crypto™ processor which provides services for 4 of the top 5 cryptocurrency exchanges² and was recently honored as the Crypto Payment Service Provider of the Year by City AM. Overall, FIS processes over $2 trillion in transactions annually across more than 100 countries in numerous payments types and currencies.

For more information about FIS and Worldpay, visit www.fisglobal.com. For information about Circle and USDC, visit https://www.circle.com/. Worldpay and Circle recently entered a Memorandum of Understanding covering technology integrations needed to support USDC settlement.

About FIS

FIS is a leading provider of technology solutions for merchants, banks and capital markets firms globally. Our employees are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests by applying our scale, deep expertise and data-driven insights. We help our clients use technology in innovative ways to solve business-critical challenges and deliver superior experiences for their customers. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS ranks #241 on the 2021 Fortune 500 and is a member of Standard & Poor’s 500® Index. To learn more, visit www.fisglobal.com. Follow FIS on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@FISGlobal).

About Circle

Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce and financial applications worldwide. Circle is the sole issuer of USD Coin (USDC), one of the fastest growing dollar digital currencies powering always-on internet-native commerce and payments. Today, Circle's transactional services, business accounts, and platform APIs are giving rise to a new generation of financial services and commerce applications that hold the promise of raising global economic prosperity for all through the frictionless exchange of financial value. Additionally, Circle operates SeedInvest, a leading startup fundraising platform in the U.S. Learn more at https://circle.com.

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¹ https://www.circle.com/en/usdc
² https://coinranking.com/exchanges

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220406005071/en/

Kim Snider, 904.438.6278

Senior Vice President

FIS Global Marketing and Communications

kim.snider@fisglobal.com

Circle Communications

press-us@circle.com

Source: Fidelity National Information Services

FAQ

What is FIS's new USDC settlement offering?

FIS's Worldpay will enable merchants to receive settlements in USD Coin, allowing for easier management of digital currency transactions.

What are the advantages of using USDC for settlements?

USDC allows businesses to avoid the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies while still benefiting from digital currency efficiencies.

Who is the pilot merchant for FIS's USDC settlement?

Crypto.com will serve as the pilot merchant for the new USDC settlement offering by Worldpay.

How much USDC is currently in circulation?

As of April 2022, USDC has over $51 billion in circulation.

Why is FIS's initiative significant for the fintech industry?

This initiative represents a major step in integrating cryptocurrency into mainstream business operations, potentially driving further innovation in payments.