Meta pilots USDC payouts to creators in Colombia, Philippines

Meta has begun a limited pilot that lets select creators in Colombia and the Philippines receive earnings in USDC stablecoin directly to crypto wallets. Payouts will move on the Solana and Polygon blockchains, and Stripe is providing the payment infrastructure that links Meta’s systems to blockchain wallets.

The feature supports popular wallets including MetaMask, Phantom and Binance. Meta is using Circle’s USDC rather than any token issued by the company. Stripe handles fiat-to-crypto onramps and the backend connections to the blockchains used in the trial.

Meta described the country selection as a response to higher crypto adoption and lower access to traditional banking in some emerging markets. The company has not disclosed how many creators are included, the criteria for eligibility, or a schedule for broader rollout.

A Meta spokesperson emphasized the firm is “not issuing a Meta stablecoin” and added the company is exploring whether stablecoins could be offered as a payment option for creators.

The pilot follows Meta’s 2022 shutdown of the Libra project, later renamed Diem, after regulatory pushback. The current effort relies on existing stablecoin infrastructure rather than creating a proprietary digital currency.

Regulatory attention on stablecoins increased after legislation last year that set rules for dollar-pegged tokens. Industry data shows stablecoin activity is growing; one projection estimates stablecoin trading volume could reach $1.5 quadrillion by 2035.

Technically, creators can receive USDC to self-custodied addresses. Meta’s integration keeps custody and exchange functions with established crypto service providers rather than bringing those functions onto Meta’s platforms. The company declined to provide further specifics about expansion plans or additional markets and blockchains.