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Meta has officially re-entered the crypto payments space, rolling out USDC stablecoin payouts to a select group of creators on its platforms, with Stripe providing the underlying infrastructure. The move marks the social media giant's most significant engagement with digital assets since the collapse of its Libra project in 2022, and signals growing mainstream momentum behind stablecoins as a practical tool for cross-border creator payments.
Key Takeaways
- Meta is paying select creators in USDC via Solana and Polygon, starting in Colombia and the Philippines.
- Stripe is powering the payout infrastructure, with creators able to receive funds through Link wallets.
- The rollout marks Meta's first active crypto payment product since the shutdown of its Libra/Diem project.
What Is Happening
Meta has begun offering USDC stablecoin payouts to a limited group of creators, with the feature now available to creators in Colombia and the Philippines.
According to a post in Meta's Business Help Center: "Meta now offers USDC stablecoin payouts via supported crypto wallets on the Solana and Polygon blockchain networks. To receive these payouts, you must use a wallet that accepts USDC on one of these networks."
The feature was first flagged by CoinDesk on April 29, 2026, and has since been confirmed across multiple outlets including PYMNTS, Fortune, Benzinga, and Unchained.
How It Works
The service is supported by Stripe, which is providing crypto-related reporting for users. Creators may receive tax documents from both Meta and Stripe tied to their earnings and digital asset transactions.
Jay Shah, who leads Stripe's customer checkout service Link, confirmed the partnership directly. "Businesses can now send stablecoin payouts directly to customers using Link," Shah said. "We're already partnering with Meta so their creators can receive stablecoins in their Link wallets in countries like the Philippines and Colombia."
Creators who opt in must connect a compatible crypto wallet that supports USDC on either the Solana or Polygon networks. Both networks are known for fast settlement times and low transaction fees, making them practical choices for cross-border payouts at scale.
Context: A Return After Libra
Meta had in 2019 launched a stablecoin project named Libra, later rebranded as Diem, which was cancelled three years later following significant pushback from regulators and lawmakers.
This new rollout is a notably different approach. Rather than launching a proprietary stablecoin or operating its own payment network, Meta is building on top of existing infrastructure, USDC as the asset, Solana and Polygon as the rails, and Stripe as the payments layer. It is a more measured re-entry that sidesteps the regulatory friction that ultimately brought down Libra.
PYMNTS had reported in February that Meta was considering reentering the stablecoin payment space and was seeking a partner to help facilitate those transactions. The Stripe partnership appears to be the outcome of that search.
Broader Industry Context
The rollout comes at a moment when enterprise stablecoin adoption is growing but still in early stages. Research by PYMNTS Intelligence has shown that while more than 4 in 10 middle market companies have at least discussed stablecoins, just 13% report actual use.
Nearly half of CFOs say that integration with major banks would make stablecoins more relevant to their operations, while 67% point to regulatory and compliance uncertainty as a key hurdle to overcome.
Meta's move may help normalise stablecoin payouts for a much wider audience of content creators, particularly in emerging markets where traditional banking infrastructure is less accessible and where cross-border payment fees can significantly erode earnings.
Conclusion
Meta's USDC payout rollout is a carefully structured return to crypto, built on proven infrastructure rather than a proprietary bet. By partnering with Stripe and using USDC on Solana and Polygon, Meta avoids the regulatory pitfalls that ended Libra while still delivering a genuinely useful product for creators in markets where fast, low-cost cross-border payments matter most.
If the pilot expands beyond Colombia and the Philippines, it could become one of the largest real-world stablecoin payment deployments to date.
FAQs:
1. What is Meta's USDC stablecoin payout for creators?
Meta's USDC stablecoin payout for creators is a new payment feature that allows select creators on Meta's platforms to receive their earnings in USDC, a dollar-pegged stablecoin, directly into a compatible crypto wallet on the Solana or Polygon blockchain networks.
2. What is the difference between Meta's new stablecoin payout and its previous Libra project?
The difference between Meta's new stablecoin payout and its Libra project is that the new rollout uses an existing stablecoin (USDC) on established blockchain networks (Solana and Polygon) with Stripe as the infrastructure partner, while Libra was an attempt to launch a proprietary Meta-controlled stablecoin that was ultimately shut down due to regulatory opposition.
3. Which countries is Meta's USDC creator payout available in?
Meta's USDC creator payout is currently available to select creators in Colombia and the Philippines, with no official announcement yet on when or whether the rollout will expand to additional markets.
4. What is Stripe's role in Meta's stablecoin creator payouts?
Stripe's role in Meta's stablecoin creator payouts is to provide the underlying payment infrastructure, allowing creators to receive USDC through Stripe's Link wallet product, and to issue crypto-related tax documentation tied to digital asset transactions.
5. What blockchain networks does Meta use for USDC creator payouts?
Meta uses the Solana and Polygon blockchain networks for its USDC creator payouts, both of which offer fast transaction settlement and low fees, making them well-suited for high-volume cross-border payment use cases.
Disclaimer:
This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice; no material herein should be interpreted as a recommendation, endorsement, or solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument, and readers should conduct their own independent research or consult a qualified professional.
