Anchorage Digital Bank & Western Union: Powering Global Remittances with USDPT

Background: What is USDPT

USDPT (U.S. Dollar Payment Token) is a stablecoin designed to power Western Union's global money movement network. Built on the Solana blockchain and issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., USDPT enables users to send, receive, hold, and spend digital dollars through Western Union's extensive network spanning 150+ countries and over 360,000 agent locations.

Who is Western Union

•  Global leader in cross-border money movement

•  360,000 agent locations across 150+ countries

•  Moves hundreds of billions of dollars annually

•  150+ year legacy of connecting people globally

•  NYSE: WU

The challenge

Western Union sought to modernize global remittances by launching its own stablecoin, but needed a partner that could provide both regulatory credibility and technical expertise. The goal was ambitious: create a stablecoin that could bridge the digital and fiat worlds while meeting rigorous compliance standards.

Traditional cross-border payments face persistent challenges: high fees, slow settlement times, and limited accessibility for underbanked populations. Western Union envisioned USDPT as the solution: a digital dollar that could provide near-instant, low-cost transfers while maintaining the trust and security their customers expect.

To achieve this vision, Western Union needed a federally regulated issuer capable of managing stablecoin issuance at global scale while ensuring compliance with evolving U.S. regulations.

The solution

The solution was partnering with Anchorage Digital Bank, America's first federally chartered bank issuing regulated stablecoins under the oversight of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).  This partnership brings together Western Union's global distribution network, Solana's high-performance blockchain, and Anchorage Digital Bank's industry-leading regulated stablecoin issuance platform.

Unmatched regulatory clarity: Anchorage Digital Bank's OCC-chartered status provides the regulatory clarity essential for a stablecoin designed to operate across Western Union's global network. Federal oversight enables USDPT to scale without the constraints of fragmented state-level licensing, providing the foundation for institutional trust and mass-market adoption.

End-to-end issuance: Anchorage Digital Bank's stablecoin issuance platform handles secure issuance, custody, settlement, and treasury management — all under one federally regulated platform. This comprehensive infrastructure allows Western Union to focus on distribution and customer experience while Anchorage Digital Bank manages the technical and regulatory complexity of stablecoin issuance.

Global scale on Solana: USDPT is launching first on Solana's high-throughput blockchain, enabling near-instant settlement, minimal transaction costs, and the scalability required to serve Western Union's massive global network. This infrastructure ensures USDPT can handle the transaction volumes of one of the world's largest cross-border payment companies.

Instant access to a growing network: From day one, a diverse network of partner exchanges, institutional investors, and innovators will be able to seamlessly access USDPT through Anchorage Digital Bank’s platform.

"Anchorage Digital Bank is purpose-built to issue stablecoins at scale. By combining forces with Western Union and building on Solana, we're demonstrating how regulated stablecoins can power faster, cheaper, and more inclusive money movements globally. This partnership shows that innovation and compliance can go hand in hand—and that's the future of money movement."

— Nathan McCauley, Co-founder & CEO, Anchorage Digital

A new standard for global payments

The partnership between Anchorage Digital Bank and Western Union represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of global payments. By combining one of the world's largest money movement networks with federally regulated stablecoin issuance, USDPT is demonstrating that blockchain-powered payments can operate at scale within a robust regulatory framework.

This collaboration validates a new model: established financial institutions can embrace digital assets while maintaining the compliance, security, and trust that they are known for. USDPT will enable faster, cheaper cross-border payments — bringing the benefits of digital dollars to millions of Western Union's customers worldwide.

"Western Union has long been committed to connecting people across borders. This partnership allows us to bring the benefits of digital dollars to our network and reach virtually every corner of the globe. With Anchorage Digital Bank as our regulated partner and Solana's blockchain technology, we're taking a meaningful step toward faster, more efficient, and more inclusive payments for our customers."
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— Devin McGranahan, CEO, Western Union