Circle is expanding further in Latin America through a new partnership with payments technology company ACI Worldwide, with an initial pilot in Colombia focused on USDC settlement over existing banking infrastructure.
The project will combine Circle’s USDC infrastructure with ACI Connetic, ACI’s cloud-based payments orchestration platform. Rather than presenting stablecoins as a replacement for established payment systems, the companies say the aim is to test how digital-dollar settlement can operate alongside traditional real-time account-to-account payments.
Pilot begins with Colombia’s instant-payments network
The first market for the initiative is Colombia, where ACI built the central infrastructure behind Bre-B, the country’s interoperable instant-payments network. The pilot is designed to explore how USDC could fit into that environment, which already supports real-time transfers between accounts.
According to the companies’ framing, the test is meant to show how a stablecoin-based settlement layer can connect with an existing domestic payment network. Their stated goal is a multi-rail setup in which digital-asset settlement and conventional banking rails work together within the same broader payments ecosystem.
Stablecoins tested as an add-on to current systems
The partnership centers on integrating Circle’s stablecoin infrastructure with ACI Connetic so financial institutions can evaluate stablecoin settlement using systems they already know. That approach reflects a broader argument from the companies that adoption may be easier if digital dollars are introduced through current payment rails instead of through entirely separate networks.
Kash Razzaghi, Circle’s chief commercial officer, said financial institutions across Latin America are increasingly examining how stablecoins could support the next stage of payments development within the infrastructure already in place. He described USDC as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital economy.
Part of Circle’s wider regional push
The Colombia pilot adds to Circle’s broader expansion across Latin America and other emerging markets as stablecoins gain more mainstream use. The company has been extending its presence in multiple developing markets, seeking to embed USDC more deeply into established financial channels.
Circle had already secured a notable point of entry in the region through Mercado Pago in Argentina, which previously added USDC. The new agreement with ACI marks another effort to place the stablecoin inside the operational backbone of mainstream payments rather than limiting it to standalone crypto use cases.
What comes next
Circle said the project is technology-agnostic even though the initial pilot uses USDC. ACI’s platform, according to the companies, is intended to support additional payment networks and digital-asset providers over time.
For now, the confirmed next step is the pilot in Colombia. Its purpose is to test whether stablecoin settlement can be integrated with a fast-growing instant-payments market where adoption of real-time payment systems is already increasing.
Source: decrypt.co