Meta targets H2 2026 for stablecoin creator payouts, enabled by Stripe’s Bridge under new U.S. rules.
Summary
Meta plans to integrate third-party stablecoins for creator payouts across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, focusing on ~$100 cross-border transfers.
Stripe’s Bridge, acquired for ~$1.1b in 2024, just secured conditional OCC trust bank approval, enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody.
The GENIUS Act, signed in 2025, created a federal framework for fully reserved payment stablecoins, giving Meta and Bridge clearer compliance rails.
Meta Platforms Inc. is preparing to integrate stablecoin payments across its social media platforms in the second half of 2026 through a third-party provider, CoinDesk reported, citing three people familiar with the plans.
The company has issued requests for proposals to external infrastructure firms, with Stripe emerging as the likely partner, according to the report. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison joined Meta’s board in April 2025.
The initiative marks a shift from Meta’s previous stablecoin effort. The company’s 2019 Libra project, later rebranded as Diem, faced intense regulatory opposition and was ultimately abandoned. Libra was designed as a global currency backed by a basket of assets, which regulators viewed as an attempt by a private company to build sovereign-scale monetary infrastructure.
According to Fortune reporting from May 2025, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Stripe’s John Collison that the Diem project was dead.
The current approach differs significantly from the earlier effort. Meta will not mint its own stablecoin but will instead integrate existing stablecoin infrastructure, positioning itself as a distribution channel rather than an issuer, according to a source who told CoinDesk the company wants to pursue the initiative “at arm’s length.”
The likely integration partner is Stripe’s Bridge platform, which received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter in February 2026.
The timeline of developments includes Stripe’s acquisition of Bridge for approximately $1.1 billion in October 2024, Collison’s appointment to Meta’s board in April 2025, and Bridge’s OCC conditional approval in February 2026, the same month Meta sent out requests for proposals.
In its 2025 annual letter, Stripe reported that Bridge’s transaction volume quadrupled as stablecoin adoption expanded beyond cryptocurrency market cycles. “Stablecoin payments are advancing quietly and inexorably as real-world uptake continues apace,” the company stated.
Meta’s focus centers on reducing costs for international creator payouts, particularly small transfers around $100 that currently face high wire transfer and foreign exchange fees. The company’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, serve approximately 3 billion users globally.
Stablecoin integration could reduce costs for cross-border settlements and accelerate payout speeds compared to traditional banking systems, according to the CoinDesk report. The move would also position Meta competitively against X and Telegram in developing super app functionality.
The regulatory environment has shifted since Meta’s earlier stablecoin attempt. The GENIUS Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025, established the first federal legal framework for U.S. stablecoin issuers, contrasting with the regulatory opposition that existed between 2019 and 2022.
Bridge’s pursuit of an OCC charter reflects the new regulatory approach, operating within a federal framework rather than outside it.
Several implementation details remain unclear, including which specific stablecoins Meta will support, whether transactions will be on-chain or abstracted from blockchain infrastructure, how the company will handle wallet custody and compliance requirements, and whether non-U.S. markets will serve as initial testing grounds.
Meta declined to comment on the reported plans. Stripe did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
