Meta to pay creators in USDC, highlighting stablecoin off-ramp frictions

Meta is rolling out creator payouts in USDC in Colombia and the Philippines, with expansion to more than 160 countries expected by the end of the year. The move shifts nearly $3 billion in annual creator payouts toward onchain settlement, according to CoinDesk, but creators still face fees, delays and compliance hurdles to convert USDC into local currency via wallets, exchanges and domestic banking rails. The column contrasts Meta’s approach with card networks embedding stablecoins into existing infrastructure, citing Mastercard’s $1.8 billion acquisition of BVNK and Visa’s partnership with Bridge.