Meta has begun rolling out USDC payouts to select creators in Colombia and the Philippines, using Stripe to process payments and Solana and Polygon for settlement. The April 2026 pilot gives eligible creators a stablecoin alternative for cross-border earnings, as Meta’s creator economy continues to scale after the company reported nearly $3 billion in creator payments in 2025, up 35% year over year.
The move marks a more pragmatic return to crypto-enabled payments after Meta’s earlier Libra and Diem ambitions. Rather than issuing its own token, the company is using an established dollar-pegged stablecoin, third-party wallets and Stripe’s payment infrastructure to reduce direct regulatory exposure while testing faster global payout rails.
The future of marketplace commerce is on Polygon.@Meta launched stablecoin payouts for creators on the Polygon Chain.
Live in Colombia and the Philippines, with 160+ markets coming, users now get faster settlement with USDC while gaining access to dollar denominated assets. pic.twitter.com/hjodzNpuyU
— Polygon | POL (@0xPolygon) April 29, 2026
Stablecoin Payouts Move Into Creator Settings
Eligible creators can connect third-party wallets, including MetaMask, Phantom and Binance Wallet, directly through Meta’s payout settings. Payments are routed in USDC through Stripe, while settlement takes place on Solana and Polygon.
The pilot is designed to lower the friction of international creator payments, especially for smaller and more frequent payouts where wire fees, FX spreads and settlement delays can reduce net receipts. Solana and Polygon were selected for lower transaction costs and faster settlement compared with legacy rails.
Meta intends to expand the program through Stripe to more than 160 markets by the end of 2026. If that rollout proceeds, creator payouts could become a recurring source of stablecoin flow across supported blockchain networks and local fiat conversion channels.
Creators Gain Speed, but Take On Custody Risk
The model shifts important responsibilities away from Meta. Creators receiving USDC must secure their own private keys, choose how to convert stablecoins into local currency and manage exchange counterparty risk, slippage and irreversible blockchain transfers.
Stripe will handle payment processing and related documentation, while Meta retains flexibility to use other payment rails if technical or regulatory issues emerge. That structure lets Meta test stablecoin payments without rebuilding the kind of proprietary currency infrastructure that drew scrutiny during the Libra and Diem era.
A wider rollout could increase USDC settlement volume on Solana and Polygon, deepen related liquidity pools and create more predictable conversion demand in local fiat corridors.
If Meta reaches its 160-market target, stablecoin creator payouts could become a meaningful cross-border payment flow. The key test will be whether wallet usability, liquidity, compliance handling and fiat conversion capacity can scale without eroding the cost and speed advantages that make the model attractive.