SoFi launches stablecoin card settlement on Mastercard, projecting over $25 billion a year

SoFi has started using its own stablecoin to move real money across one of the largest payment networks in the world.

On September 22, 2026, SoFi Bank began settling its debit and credit card program with SoFiUSD on Mastercard’s global network. The company projects the program will process more than $25 billion in transactions each year.

SoFi claims this makes it the first national bank in the US to run live stablecoin settlement across Mastercard’s network. Cardholders will notice absolutely nothing, which is exactly how SoFi wants it.

How SoFiUSD settlement actually works

Think of a card payment as two separate events. The swipe at the register is what you see. Settlement is the quieter step afterward, when funds actually travel between the institutions involved.

That token is SoFiUSD. It is fully reserved, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and redeemable 1:1 for US dollars.

Its reserves consist of cash or cash equivalents. One important caveat: SoFiUSD is not FDIC-insured, so it does not carry the same protection as a standard bank deposit.

The stablecoin lives on public blockchains, starting with Ethereum and Solana. That setup allows settlement around the clock and supports programmable payments.

Merchants never have to hold or handle SoFiUSD directly. They receive ordinary fiat currency on their end.

Investors liked what they saw. SOFI shares climbed nearly 5% on the day of the announcement.

The scale gap is worth noting. By the end of Q2 2026, SoFiUSD had roughly $300 million in circulation, while the card program is projected to settle over $25 billion annually.

Those two figures measure different things. Circulation is how many tokens exist at a given moment, while settlement volume is how much value flows through them over a year, so the same dollars can be used repeatedly.

From student loans to stablecoins

This launch did not come out of nowhere. SoFi and Mastercard formed a strategic partnership in March 2026 to enable stablecoin settlement on Mastercard’s network.

Two months later, in May 2026, SoFiUSD became available to around 15 million SoFi app users. The aim was faster, more efficient payment processing inside a regulated banking framework.

SoFi also reported interest from large US merchants in possible partnerships. None of those arrangements have been detailed publicly yet.

What this means for SoFi, banks and the stablecoin market

SoFi intends to offer its stablecoin settlement services to other banks through Galileo, its technology platform. It also plans to pursue direct arrangements with merchants.

There are real risks, though. The $25 billion figure is a projection, not a track record, and the program has only just gone live.

Other banks have not yet publicly committed to using Galileo for stablecoin settlement. Until they do, the platform pitch remains a plan rather than a revenue line.

Consumer understanding is another question. Users holding SoFiUSD need to grasp that it lacks FDIC coverage, even though it comes from a bank and is backed by cash reserves.

A few markers are worth watching in coming quarters. Look for growth in SoFiUSD circulation beyond the approximately $300 million reported at the end of Q2 2026, any named merchant partnerships, and the first outside banks signing on through Galileo.