Payoneer (NASDAQ: PAYO) is taking significant strides to reinforce its presence in the global payments landscape, officially announcing its intentions on February 24, 2026. The fintech company, which currently supports almost two million businesses around the globe, predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs) in developing markets, has filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank charter to establish PAYO Digital Bank, N.A. This upcoming digital bank is positioned to focus on services enabled by stablecoins.
In tandem with this charter application, Payoneer is set to integrate stablecoin capabilities through a partnership with Bridge, a provider of payment infrastructure backed by Stripe. This integration is expected to allow Payoneer to enhance its services significantly in the near future.
If granted, PAYO Digital Bank would enable users to transact with approved stablecoins, issue PAYO-USD—a compliant stablecoin tailored for wallet holdings—manage reserves, provide custodial wallet services, and facilitate seamless exchanges between stablecoins and local currencies throughout Payoneer’s extensive global network.
"Stablecoins are going to play a meaningful role in the future of global trade," said CEO John Caplan. He emphasized the importance of these digital currencies in providing businesses with a regulated and trustworthy means to leverage advancements in payments.
Rob Morgan, the proposed CEO of PAYO Digital Bank, shared insights on the expected benefits of this new venture. He noted that the establishment of a stablecoin-focused bank will not only expedite payment processes but also enhance transparency while unlocking new market opportunities for SMBs that are vital to cross-border commerce.
The integration with Bridge aims to streamline the user experience by embedding comprehensive stablecoin workflows into Payoneer’s existing platform. Starting in select markets in the second quarter of 2026, users will benefit from the ability to receive payments in stablecoins, pay international suppliers, securely hold balances, or withdraw funds to local accounts.
"We’re rethinking how businesses move money across borders, with an emphasis on compliance, speed, security, and simplicity," Caplan explained. This shift could mitigate the challenges posed by fragmented blockchain processes and regulatory complexities.
The collaboration has also made waves within the industry, with Bridge co-founder Zach Abrams commenting, "By abstracting away the complexities of blockchain, we're enabling Payoneer to deliver an unprecedented level of seamlessness in their transactions."
These developments arrive at a time when competition in the payments sector is heating up. Companies such as Wise are known for their low-fee, transparent currency conversion, while Stripe excels in providing developer-friendly payment infrastructure. In this competitive landscape, PayPal continues to offer a wide range of services for both consumers and businesses.
Emerging competitors like Airwallex and Revolut Business are aggressively targeting global SMBs as well, utilizing embedded finance tools. Despite these formidable competitors, Payoneer's unique focus positions it ahead, especially as it commits to regulated stablecoin frameworks that many rivals are still experimenting with.
The payments industry itself is rapidly transitioning, largely driven by the new GENIUS Act, which was enacted in 2025 to lend legitimacy to stablecoins. This regulation necessitates 1:1 reserves and AML compliance, while simultaneously catalyzing innovation. As a result, the market capitalization for stablecoins has soared beyond $300 billion, with transaction volumes reaching trillions each year.
Recent data reveals a staggering 700% surge year-over-year in B2B payments, especially as enterprises shift towards uninterrupted settlement options for treasury management and cross-border trade. Moreover, the adoption of stablecoins is expanding swiftly, particularly within remittances, supply-chain payouts, and liquidity optimization, thereby reducing costs and delays associated with traditional wire transfers.
Experts in the industry forecast that stablecoins will soon become an integral component of the global payments infrastructure, predicting a notable reduction in the time it takes for cross-border transactions—potentially transitioning from days to mere minutes.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that more fintech companies will seek bank charters to gain direct control over deposits and issuance, lessening their dependency on sponsor banks. The landscape is also expected to evolve with advancements in AI-driven fraud detection, programmable payments, and tokenized assets.
Looking ahead, some optimistic projections suggest that certain cross-border flows could see stablecoin adoption rise to between 10% and 20% by 2028, backed by a clearer regulatory framework across regions like the U.S. and the European Union.