New partnership will connect fiat and USDC, but market impact remains unclear
OpenPayd has announced a partnership with Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, to offer a new infrastructure layer combining fiat and digital currencies.
The two companies aim to provide faster, lower-cost payments for enterprise clients by integrating Circle’s Wallets product into OpenPayd’s platform.
OpenPayd, which processes more than €130 billion in annual payment volume, will allow its clients to convert between fiat currencies and USDC. According to the announcement published today (June 17), the move is intended to support use cases in payments, treasury, and digital assets.
“Stablecoins will be foundational to the next era of financial services, and our partnership with Circle positions us, and our clients, at the centre of that transformation,” said OpenPayd, CEO Iana Dimitrova. She added that expanding access to USDC aligns with the company’s goal of enabling a more digital global economy.
Sanja Kon, Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development at Circle, described OpenPayd as “an essential partner” in supporting stablecoin adoption at scale.
The firms say the collaboration will give clients faster access to liquidity and streamline operations across fiat and blockchain-based rails. It will also enable programmable finance through OpenPayd’s API-driven infrastructure.
Real-world impact remains to be seen
Despite the forward-looking statements, the practical implications of the partnership are not yet clear. The announcement did not include customer case studies or transaction volume forecasts related to the integration.
Stablecoin partnerships have become more common in recent years, and similar integrations with USDC have already been announced by larger payment platforms such as Visa, Stripe, and PayPal.
The added value of OpenPayd’s offer may depend on how quickly enterprise adoption follows and whether it delivers a measurable improvement in cost or speed.
The market share of USDC has also declined in recent quarters, raising questions about the strategic impact of focusing solely on this particular stablecoin.
Regulatory backdrop and market positioning
Both OpenPayd and Circle operate under regulatory oversight. OpenPayd is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority as an Electronic Money Institution, while Circle operates through regulated affiliates in various jurisdictions. However, stablecoins continue to face evolving regulatory requirements in the UK and EU.
OpenPayd positions itself as a financial infrastructure provider for embedded finance, with clients in sectors including fintech, iGaming, and digital assets. The firm’s relatively low public profile may limit the immediate impact of the deal compared to larger players in the space.
The company has not disclosed a timeline for full rollout or any upcoming product releases related to the integration.
