Checkout​.com launches 24/7 stablecoin settlement in partnership with Fireblocks

cointelegraph.com:

Global payment processor Checkout.com has launched a new stablecoin settlement system that will allow merchants to process crypto payments from their customers in real time — potentially widening the use cases of stablecoins within e-commerce. 

The stablecoin settlement system centers around Circle’s USD Coin (USDC), the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, and allows merchants to automatically convert USDC payments into fiat upon receipt. The service will be available to merchants around the clock, meaning payments will be settled on weekends and holidays in addition to regular business hours.

The settlement system leverages payout technology developed by crypto infrastructure provider Fireblocks. Through its beta program with Fireblocks, Checkout.com settled over $300 million in USDC transactions.

Initially, Checkout.com’s stablecoin settlement system will only support USDC, although there are plans to offer a wider range of assets over time. 

Ran Goldi, Fireblocks’ vice president of payments, told Cointelegraph that blockchain technology can significantly improve payments flow for merchants. “Traditionally, payments are really fragmented, slow, and expensive,” Goldi said. “This first step to settle merchant payouts with stablecoins is just a small part of what we can do in the payments space.”

Goldi continued: “Crypto merchants have now become very scaled, compared with just five years ago when crypto merchants did not really exist. The increased demand from merchants to receive payouts in stablecoins shows their willingness to keep their funds and interact with their vendors and counterparties in crypto.”

Rebranded in 2012 as a cloud-based payments solution, Checkout.com has pivoted strongly into digital