Western Union to Launch USDPT Stablecoin on Solana in 2026
Western Union plans to launch USDPT, a US dollar–pegged stablecoin, on the Solana blockchain in the first half of 2026. Partnering with Anchorage Digital Bank under the 2025 GENIUS Act, the USDPT stablecoin will integrate with Western Union’s 600,000+ retail locations serving over 100 million customers worldwide. Leveraging Solana’s proof-of-history consensus, USDPT aims to reduce settlement times from days to seconds and cut cross-border remittance fees to under $0.01 per transaction. Western Union anticipates processing up to 70 million USDPT transfers per quarter via its high-speed network. Anchorage Digital Bank will hold 1:1 USD reserves in segregated U.S. Bank accounts, subject to monthly audits and AML checks, maintaining full backing in cash or U.S. Treasuries. On-chain reserve proofs and Solana’s transparency are expected to boost user confidence. This launch marks a significant step in blockchain-based remittances. Traders should watch for increased on-chain transactions and rising SOL demand as USDPT enters the crypto payments space.
Bullish
Western Union’s launch of the USDPT stablecoin on Solana is a strong vote of confidence in Solana’s capacity to handle large-scale remittance flows. In the short term, anticipation of increased transaction volumes and network tests should boost demand for SOL, driving bullish sentiment. Over the long term, regulatory oversight under the GENIUS Act, robust 1:1 reserve backing and integration with a global retail network could solidify USDPT’s use case, sustaining higher on-chain activity and fee generation, further supporting SOL’s growth.