Bank of America tests USBDC stablecoin payments on Stellar platform

Bank of America completes USBDC stablecoin payment test on the Stellar blockchain

U.S. Bank announced that it has successfully run a real-time U.S. dollar stablecoin (USBDC) payment transaction on the Stellar blockchain. The action was a controlled pilot between entities within U.S. banks in North America and Europe, rather than being released as a public product.

According to an official statement, the bank announced the test on September 9, 2026 and described the USBDC as its own, dollar-backed stablecoin. A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, in this case, its value is anchored at one dollar.

In short, Bank of America has used blockchain infrastructure to transfer cross-border funds to its own accounts. This is a regulated pilot project and currently the public cannot register to use such services.

Test details: Internal closed-loop operation

Bank of America reported that this test involved cross-border transfers of USBDC stablecoin payments. Since the announcement did not mention any external customers as counterparties, this is a flow of funds within the bank's internal network.

Bank of America stated that online transfers remain connected to its core financial, risk management, compliance and operations systems. This is crucial because banks cannot simply superimpose new payment instruments, and all new functions must be integrated into existing control systems.

This test evaluated functions such as casting, payment redemption, freezing and recovery. At the same time, it also verified the bank's independently developed digital asset platform-the software layer for issuing and managing the token.

Missing high-level views and data

Bank of America Chairman and CEO Gunjan Kedia linked the pilot to the ability to accelerate global capital flows.

"This real-time pilot demonstrates our potential to accelerate global cash management and liquidity capabilities," Kedia said.

However, the bank did not disclose the transfer amount, transaction hash value or specific settlement time. Independent reports confirmed the existence of the pilot, but also pointed out the lack of these details.

Stellar's role in this stablecoin payment

Stellar is the blockchain network specified in this test. It is the public ledger that records payments, while the USBDC is the U.S. dollar anchor token that flows across the network. What needs to be distinguished is that USBDC is capital, while Stellar is the path for capital circulation. The bank said the initiative was built on its strategic relationship with the Stellar Development Foundation.

Bank of America announced that its Stellar stablecoin issuer address is GDABKPZMAIULVJVJJQM7L3VIG5A2IS5V4KP2P3YNP6YWRUBJNBGFGG6E. This is an issuer's account address and is not a record of a specific transaction, so it does not reveal specific payment behavior.

The announcement described potential 24/7 trading capabilities, but did not report on the specific settlement duration of this pilot. According to unconfirmed reports, none of the claims that this particular payment achieved near-instant settlement or less than a penny fees have been verified; the bank only provided a generic network description.

Market Background and XLM Price Volatility

From the market context, Stellar's native token XLM traded at US$0.179312 during the research period. This is the price of XLM, not the price of USBDC, and it does not prove that the market has any reaction to this pilot.

Data shows that XLM has fallen 4.34% in the past 24 hours. The change measures normal market activity rather than reaction to USBDC news.

The widespread promotion of USBDC is still questionable

The keyword "test" carries the main meaning. A successful internal pilot does not mean that the USBDC is open to retail users, corporate customers, or exchanges. The announcement does not establish any public availability.

The bank listed future application scenarios it is exploring, including enhanced liquidity management, collateral liquidity and cross-border treasury operations. These are goals under study, not off-the-shelf services.

The key question remains unclear: Who can ultimately use the USBDC? When will it be launched? What are the redemption and supervision terms? The announcement did not list a specific timetable or customer qualifications.

Jamie Walker, head of digital assets and fund movements at Bank of America, elaborated on the strategy around customer needs and security frameworks.

"Our focus remains on providing solutions that solve our customers 'real challenges while maintaining the security, security and reliability customers expect from Bank of America," Walker said.

Conclusion

The practical lesson for ordinary cryptocurrency holders or curious novices is simple: This is a bank testing the underlying architecture behind the scenes, similar to Visa's approach to expanding stablecoin settlements. USBDC is currently not available to purchase, and the pilot does not establish any deposit insurance, reserve details or regulatory approval for the token.