MoneyGram and Western Union Now Issue Stablecoin Cards: What Each Offers, and the Shared Risk Behind Them

Two of the world's largest money transfer companies now issue stablecoin-backed Visa cards. Western Union launched Stablecard on August 4, 2026, and MoneyGram followed with the MoneyGram Card in mid-September. Both let people who receive money from abroad hold it as a digital US dollar and spend it with a card, instead of converting it straight into a local currency. They are built differently, but they share one piece of infrastructure worth understanding.

Why Remittance Companies Want Stablecoin Cards

A remittance normally ends with cash pickup or a bank deposit in local currency. In countries where that currency is volatile, recipients often want to keep the money in dollars instead. A stablecoin wallet with a card attached lets the money arrive as a digital dollar, stay that way, and be spent directly wherever Visa is accepted. Western Union describes its pitch in one line: "hold dollar value and spend it anywhere Visa is accepted." If you already send money abroad with crypto, our guide to sending money abroad with crypto covers the other routes.

Western Union Stablecard

Western Union announced Stablecard on August 4, 2026. It is a digital wallet paired with a Visa secured credit card, backed by USDPT, a US dollar stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank on the Solana blockchain. Western Union's announcement says USDPT is "redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars and is fully backed by reserves." Users can receive Western Union money transfers directly into the USDPT wallet, and send or receive funds to and from compatible digital asset wallets and exchanges. It launched in 37 markets, with a stated goal of more than 60 markets by the end of 2026.

The MoneyGram Card

MoneyGram introduced its card in mid-September 2026. It is a Visa debit card funded with USDC, the stablecoin issued by Circle, and loaded through the MoneyGram app. It was built with three partners: Rain for card transactions, Crossmint for the wallet, and the Stellar network. For now it is digital-only. Reporting from Cryptonomist says the launch was in Colombia, with a physical card and more Latin American markets planned for later in 2026; we could not confirm those plans directly with MoneyGram, so treat them as reported rather than announced.

Side by Side

The card-type difference matters more than it looks. A debit card spends a balance you already hold. A secured credit card is backed by collateral you put up, and its terms decide how spending, billing and repayment work. Read the agreement for whichever card you use rather than assuming it behaves like the other.

The Shared Layer: Rain

Both cards are built with Rain, one of the largest stablecoin card infrastructure companies. That is not a flaw in itself: most card programs run on a specialist provider behind the brand. But it is worth knowing, for two reasons we have covered before.

First, concentration. DeFi Prime's September 2026 analysis put about 42% of tracked August 2026 crypto card volume through Rain. Second, on August 28, 2026, an attacker exploited an authorization bug in an outdated version of Rain's Solana card contracts, draining roughly $1.1 million from a small number of programs, including Avici and Tria. Those users were refunded in full, and Rain said every deployment on the affected version was upgraded. We found no reporting that Stablecard or the MoneyGram Card was affected. The lesson is simply that many cards with different logos can share one infrastructure provider — our custody guide explains what that means for who actually holds your money.

What to Check Before You Use Either

1. Is it live where you are? Stablecard lists 37 markets at launch; the MoneyGram Card started in one.
2. Who issues the stablecoin? USDPT and USDC have different issuers and reserve disclosures. Our GENIUS Act and MiCA guide explains how stablecoin rules differ by region.
3. Debit or credit? Read how billing, collateral and repayment work before you rely on the card.
4. What does it cost? Neither announcement published a full fee sheet; check the in-app terms for conversion, ATM and FX fees.
5. Taxes still apply. Spending a stablecoin can count as a disposal in many countries — see crypto card taxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Western Union Stablecard?

A digital wallet with a Visa secured credit card, backed by USDPT, a US dollar stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank on the Solana blockchain. Western Union launched it on August 4, 2026 in 37 markets and says it aims for more than 60 by the end of 2026. You can receive Western Union transfers straight into the wallet and spend anywhere Visa is accepted.

What is the MoneyGram Card?

A Visa debit card funded with USDC, loaded through the MoneyGram app. MoneyGram introduced it in mid-September 2026 as a digital-only card, built with Rain, the wallet company Crossmint and the Stellar network.

What is the difference between the two?

The biggest differences are the stablecoin and the card type. Stablecard uses USDPT and is a secured credit card; the MoneyGram Card uses USDC and is a debit card. Stablecard launched in far more markets. Both run on Visa and both are built with Rain.

Are these cards affected by the August 2026 Rain exploit?

We found no reporting that either card was affected. The August 28, 2026 exploit hit an outdated version of Rain's Solana card contracts used by a small number of programs, including Avici and Tria, and those users were refunded. The point is not that these cards are at risk, but that a lot of the market now depends on one infrastructure provider.

Is a stablecoin card from a remittance company safer than a crypto exchange card?

Not automatically. A well-known brand does not change who holds your balance, who issues the stablecoin, or which company runs the card program behind it. Check those three things for any card, whoever puts their logo on it.

Sources checked 2026-09-23

• Western Union Launches Stablecard in Partnership with Rain, Western Union, August 4, 2026
• MoneyGram Just Launched Its First Stablecoin-Backed Visa Card, The Motley Fool, September 17, 2026
• Stablecoin-Backed Visa Card Launches by MoneyGram in Colombia, Cryptonomist, September 11, 2026
• Crypto Cards in 2026: Who Holds the Money Before the Swipe, DeFi Prime, September 10, 2026
• Avici says everyone's card balance refunded in full as Rain fixes crypto card vulnerability, AMBCrypto

Disclosure: VisaCryptoCard is an independent guide site. We are not affiliated with Western Union or MoneyGram. Availability, fees and terms change; verify details in each company's own app before you rely on them.

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