paiements

Citi and Coinbase are expanding their partnership (announced Sept. 28, 2026) to connect fiat and stablecoin payments without forcing businesses to manage two systems. The core idea isn’t “a bank does crypto.” It’s a rails model: the bank remains the settlement bank, while the exchange handles on-chain conversion — merchants can accept a stablecoin without ever holding it.
📋 What’s being announced (Citi / Business Wire press release)
• Two parts. 1) Coinbase virtual accounts powered by Citi’s Virtual Account Wallet (Banking-as-a-Service): accept, hold, pay — incoming fiat is automatically converted into a stablecoin (described as a first of its kind). 2) Spring by Citi: institutional clients accept stablecoin payments at checkout; Coinbase converts them into fiat; Citi settles as the bank of record.