Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) plans to integrate stablecoins in the second half of 2026 through a third-party vendor—likely Stripe—bringing dollar-pegged tokens to over 3 billion users after the Libra/Diem project collapsed in 2022 amid regulatory scrutiny.
The Comeback Strategy
Meta sent out a request for product (RFP) to third-party firms to help administer stablecoin-based payments and implement a new wallet, Coindesk reported on Tuesday, citing three sources familiar with the plans.
The tech giant wants to begin integration early in the second half of this year.
Stripe, which acquired stablecoin specialist Bridge last year, was mentioned as a likely candidate for piloting Meta’s stablecoin.
Stripe is a long-time Meta partner, and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison joined Meta’s board of directors in April 2025.
The approach differs dramatically from the original Libra project. Meta now prefers relying on a third-party stablecoin payments provider rather than issuing its own. “They want to do this, but at arm’s length,” said one source.
Why Meta Wants This
Launching stablecoin integration would let Meta open payment rails to its massive user base while bypassing expensive traditional banking fees.
The move potentially positions the company as a global leader in social commerce and cross-border remittances.
The strategy puts Meta in direct competition with Elon Musk’s X and messaging platform Telegram, both aiming to become “super apps” by bringing payments in-house.
This was one of the original goals for Libra—tapping Meta’s vast networks including WhatsApp’s peer-to-peer messaging and Facebook and Instagram’s commerce tools for payments.
The Libra Failure
Meta famously tried to introduce the Libra stablecoin, later renamed Diem, in 2019.
The project faced strong headwinds from a less favorable regulatory climate and lingering reputational damage from the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
U.S. lawmakers pushed back hard. The Libra Association scaled back ambitions in 2020, pivoting to developing multiple stablecoins pegged to different currencies rather than a global digital currency backed by a basket of national currencies.
The project shut down in early 2022 and sold off its assets without ever formally launching.
The Regulatory Shift
The regulatory climate today looks dramatically different. President Trump’s GENIUS Act established the first legal foundation for U.S. stablecoin issuers, opening floodgates for market entrants with new tokens.
However, regulators are still in early stages of drafting regulations governing issuers.
This uncertainty likely explains Meta’s third-party approach. Rather than risking another regulatory battle by issuing its own stablecoin, Meta integrates existing infrastructure through partners like Stripe and Bridge.
Image: Shutterstock
Recent Comments