The Western Union Company has announced plans to launch its USDPT stablecoin on Solana and Digital Asset Network.
According to the press release, the USD-pegged stablecoin aims to expand the ways customers and agents move money and improve company treasury capabilities.
The stablecoin will be built on the high-performance Solana blockchain and issued by Digital Asset Network, a leading service provider for issuance and custody of federally regulated digital assets. Western Union stated that the choice of partners reflects its vision to modernize financial infrastructure and expand access to the global economy while adhering to regulatory requirements.
This initiative is expected to create a seamless user experience that enables consumers and businesses to send, receive, spend, and hold USDPT, staying within regulatory boundaries.
“We are committed to leveraging emerging technologies to empower our customers and communities,” said Devin McGranahan, President and CEO of Western Union.
“As we evolve into the digital assets space, Western Union’s USDPT will allow us to own the economics linked to stablecoins. Separately, we are excited to announce our Digital Asset Network, a solution for the last mile of the crypto journey by partnering with wallets and wallet providers to provide customers with seamless access to cash off-ramps for digital assets by leveraging our global network. Our Digital Asset Network and USDPT will be an enabler in achieving our mission to make financial services accessible to people everywhere.”
By linking the U.S. dollar to local spending needs and partnering with institutions that prioritize security, scalability, and compliance, USDPT aims to provide reliable, secure, and affordable financial services for customers across borders.
The company anticipates that USDPT will be available in the first half of 2026, with users able to access it through partner exchanges for broader accessibility and convenience.
WUUSD Trademark Filing
Shortly after the USDPT announcement, Western Union applied to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to file a trademark for WUUSD, even though the term WUUSD had not been mentioned in previous public statements.
According to the USPTO filing, the WUUSD trademark application has been accepted by the office, met the minimum filing requirements, but has yet to be examined for approval. The filing further states the WUUSD trademark may be used for ‘stablecoin payment processing,’ ‘payments processing,’ and ‘foreign currency exchange’ as well as cryptocurrency brokerage and crypto lending, including ‘securities and derivatives exchange.’
Notably, a different trademark filing for USDPT was also found in the USPTO database.
Is Western Union Launching Multiple Stablecoins?
There has been no confirmation yet on whether Western Union plans to launch different stablecoins. However, this is not uncommon; crypto giants have followed similar paths, launching different stablecoins, such as Paxos (USDP, PUSD) and Binance (BUSD, FUSD).
Rajiv Sawhney, Head of International Portfolio Management at Wave Digital Assets, believes the different filings may simply be a branding decision.
He notes that WUUSD could serve as “the public-facing ticker or symbol, while USDPT remains the regulatory and issuance name used in filings and technical contracts.”
Sawhney added that Western Union may have “figured that USDPT is a clunky, unrecognizable name, while Western Union USD is much more recognizable,” though he admitted that “the true reason is hard to say at this point.”
Western Union Embrace of Stablecoins
As far back as July 2025, Western Union announced plans to launch stablecoin-based payment settlement systems across Africa and South America.
In an interview with Bloomberg, the CEO of the company noted that stablecoins should be viewed as ‘an opportunity to innovate rather than a threat,’ disclosing ongoing collaborations with payment infrastructure providers in the regions.
The announcement of USDPT and the trademark filings re-emphasize Western Union’s growing interest in stablecoin adoption, aligning with its recent strategic decisions in digital finance.
What This Means for Africa
Western Union’s exploration of stablecoin settlement, whether with a single coin or multiple, is positioned to provide significant advantages for Africa by streamlining remittances and access to digital finance.
The continent receives over $100 billion annually in remittances. Introducing stablecoin settlements has the potential to lower transaction costs significantly and speed up cross-border payments.
Western Union currently operates in about 50 of Africa’s 54 countries, expanding its presence through partnerships with local banks, mobile money providers, and fintech companies. The company’s strong presence in Africa would enable it to connect both retail and institutional customers to the digital financial economy, thus aligning with its mission of financial inclusion.
By integrating blockchain technology and stablecoin settlements, Western Union could help millions of Africans in bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized digital finance.
