Yeliz Akmaca 
As you may recall, Meta attempted to enter the financial world directly in 2019 with the Libra project, but was forced to step back after facing strong resistance from regulators. At the time, many believed the company had completely abandoned its stablecoin ambitions. However, recent developments show that Meta did not give up but instead changed its strategy. According to incoming reports, the technology giant is actively preparing to integrate stablecoin-based payments into the WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook ecosystem starting in the second half of this year.
This time, the biggest difference is that Meta is not trying to launch its own stablecoin. Instead, the company plans to integrate already established, dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDC, which operate on clearer regulatory ground. This approach allows Meta to provide stablecoin-based payment infrastructure to its users without taking on the role of the issuer.
Meta has officially started the stablecoin integration process
Meta has sent a formal product request letter to third-party firms to provide the technical infrastructure needed to manage stablecoin payments. This step shows that the project is no longer just an idea, but that technical evaluation and integration processes have already begun.
The company is also reportedly working on a new digital wallet infrastructure to support stablecoin transactions. Wallet is expected to function seamlessly with WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, allowing users to send and receive stablecoins without leaving the apps. Meta is particularly focused on integrating the payment layer naturally into the existing user experience without disrupting how people already use the platforms.
Stripe and Bridge detail draws attention
Stripe is seen as one of the strongest candidates on the stablecoin infrastructure side. Stripe’s acquisition of stablecoin infrastructure firm Bridge last year significantly strengthened its technical capabilities in this area. Additionally, the business relationship between Stripe and Meta has existed for years.
Stripe CEO Patrick Collison joining Meta’s board of directors is also considered a sign of strengthening strategic ties between the two companies. For this reason, Stripe is widely viewed as one of the strongest candidates to play an active role in Meta’s stablecoin pilot phase.
No official partnership has been announced yet. However, it has become clear that Meta prefers to move forward with regulation-compliant and already operational stablecoin payment providers instead of building everything from scratch.
Sending stablecoins through WhatsApp
Meta’s user base, which exceeds approximately 3 billion people, significantly increases the potential impact of this integration. Especially in countries where WhatsApp is widely used for commercial communication, stablecoin support could bring payments directly into the messaging experience.
Today, many small businesses communicate with customers via WhatsApp, but the payment stage usually shifts to external platforms. Stablecoin integration could make it possible to complete the entire process within a single app. This could create a faster and lower-cost alternative, particularly for cross-border payments.
On Instagram, faster and more direct payment options could emerge for content creators and digital service providers. By deploying this infrastructure, Meta could open the door for social platforms to function as financial transaction layers as well.
Why Meta is not launching its own stablecoin
The regulatory pressure experienced during the Libra and Diem process played a decisive role in shaping Meta’s stablecoin strategy. Directly issuing a stablecoin brought intense regulatory scrutiny and political pressure. In early 2022, Meta completely shut down the Diem project and sold its assets. This marked a major turning point in the company’s approach to stablecoins.
As a result, Meta’s new approach is more cautious. Instead of issuing its own stablecoin, the company prefers to act as a platform that supports existing stablecoin infrastructure. This model reduces regulatory risk while still allowing Meta to benefit from the stablecoin-based payment ecosystem.
In other words, Meta aims to become the most powerful distribution point of the system without appearing as its central issuer.
A new phase in the super app race
While Elon Musk has ambitions to turn the X platform into an all-in-one “super app,” Meta’s stablecoin move appears to be a direct competitive response. Combining messaging, social media, and payment systems into a single platform has become a major strategic priority for large technology companies in recent years.
The second half of 2026 appears particularly critical in this regard. For the first time, platforms with billions of users are truly approaching the ability to integrate money transfers directly into the application experience itself.
Meta has not yet officially announced the stablecoin integration. However, the technical requests, ongoing infrastructure discussions, and wallet development efforts clearly indicate that the company is actively preparing to deploy a stablecoin-based payment system. If pilot programs succeed, it may soon be possible to scroll through Instagram Stories while simultaneously paying a coffee debt using USDC.
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