Circle and ACI Worldwide Test USDC Settlement in Colombia

Circle Internet Group and ACI Worldwide disclosed on October 27 a proof of concept that would let banks settle payments with USDC, the dollar-backed stablecoin Circle issues, beginning with a Colombian trial, according to Blockonomi. The arrangement combines Circle’s USDC infrastructure with ACI Connetic, a cloud platform from ACI Worldwide that manages transactions across card payments, conventional transfers and digital assets. Both companies called the work an early test, not a live commercial service.

Crypto.news reported that no live USDC connection to Bre-B, Colombia’s instant payments network, had been announced, and that the participating banks and a commercial launch date were likewise not identified. Cryptobriefing described the pitch as cooperation rather than disruption: stablecoin settlement running alongside existing payment systems rather than replacing them.

Key facts

• The announcement was made on October 27, 2026, and pairs Circle’s USDC with ACI Connetic.
• Colombia is the first market because ACI built the central infrastructure behind Bre-B, working with Banco de la República, the country’s central bank.
• ACI reported in March that Bre-B had processed more than 500 million transactions in its first five months; Cryptobriefing added that the network passed more than 100 million registered payment keys in that stretch.
• No banks, transaction volumes, USDC settlement values or commercial launch date have been disclosed.
• Craig Ramsey, ACI’s global head of account-to-account payments, said “the conversation around stablecoins is moving from possibility to practicality.”

Running inside familiar systems

The stated aim is to show how deposit-taking institutions can add stablecoin settlement to the tools they already use for payments, treasury management and transaction oversight. Under the plan, banks would not be asked to rebuild their back offices; USDC settlement would operate through the same Connetic orchestration layer as their other payment methods.

Ramsey said institutions want to know how digital asset settlement can fit into “the infrastructure and operating models they already trust.” Kash Razzaghi, Circle’s chief commercial officer, said financial institutions across Latin America are examining how stablecoins can support payments and settlement, and called the project a practical path for them to explore USDC.

Why Bre-B is the starting point

ACI’s role in Colombia goes beyond a pilot. It operates Bre-B’s addressing directory, the clearing and settlement engine that runs around the clock, and the services that connect participating providers. That history gives it direct experience with the country’s domestic payment arrangements.

The 500 million-plus transactions cited for Bre-B cover ordinary payments only. Neither company has reported USDC activity, and neither has said that existing Bre-B transfers would move onto a blockchain. The reports agree that the precise technical connection, the participating institutions and the settlement arrangements remain unspecified.

Colombia already hosts other stablecoin-linked products. MoneyGram launched a Visa card there in September that lets eligible customers hold dollar-linked balances and spend them, a consumer offering distinct from the institutional settlement focus of the Circle-ACI project. Cryptobriefing noted that Circle had earlier gained a regional foothold through Mercado Pago, while Crypto.news pointed to Circle’s work with Standard Chartered giving eligible institutions custody and transfer access to digital dollars.

Open questions on cost, rails and currency

The companies have not said whether transfers would be domestic or cross-border, how USDC would be converted into Colombian pesos, whether settlement would occur on a public blockchain or through an intermediary, or what fees and processing times to expect. Circle has said it plans to enter roughly 40 emerging and developing markets, with CEO Jeremy Allaire naming Latin America among regions where it sees demand, but individual launch schedules and licensing arrangements have not been disclosed.

Why it matters

Banks weighing stablecoin settlement have mostly faced a choice between building new infrastructure and leaving the technology alone. A pilot that slots USDC into an existing orchestration layer lowers that barrier, letting institutions test compliance and operational models inside systems they already govern. If it advances, the implications reach beyond Colombia: a central-bank-linked national payments network is a more sensitive venue for digital assets than a standalone fintech app, so supervisory comfort will shape how quickly similar tests follow elsewhere in Latin America.

What to watch

The concrete next data points are whether participating banks are named and whether the companies set a date for commercial transactions. Watch as well for details on how USDC would convert to pesos and whether Colombian regulators raise any objection to stablecoin settlement touching Bre-B.

This article is informational and is not financial advice; stablecoin and crypto markets are volatile and uncertain.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only and is not investment, financial or trading advice. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile. Always do your own research.

Sources: Blockonomi, Crypto.news, Cryptobriefing