Meta Returns to Stablecoins: Launching in the Second Half of the Year, Stripe is the Most Likely Partner

If the plan comes to fruition, the payment infrastructure for 3 billion users will be reshaped, which is as significant for the entire stablecoin sector as any institutional ETF approval.

Author: CoinDesk

Translation: Deep潮 TechFlow

Deep潮 Guide: Meta’s last attempt at a stablecoin was the Libra project in 2019, which ultimately failed under regulatory pressure. Seven years later, as the U.S. stablecoin regulatory framework gradually clarifies, Meta is quietly repositioning itself, this time taking a more cautious approach—by partnering with third parties.

If the plan is realized, the payment infrastructure for 3 billion users will be reshaped, which is as significant for the entire stablecoin sector as any institutional ETF approval.

Key Highlights

According to informed sources, Meta has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to third-party companies seeking assistance in managing stablecoin-based payments.

An insider mentioned that Stripe is the most likely candidate to participate in Meta’s stablecoin pilot.

Meta previously launched the Libra stablecoin in 2019 (later renamed Diem), which was forced to shut down under regulatory pressure.

Three knowledgeable sources familiar with the plans revealed that Meta—led by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg—is planning to enter the stablecoin space later this year. The move depends on successful integration with third-party companies to leverage stablecoin technology pegged to the U.S. dollar for payments.

One source said Meta aims to start stablecoin integration in early the second half of this year. Since the plan has not been publicly announced, the source requested anonymity. Meta plans to bring in a vendor to help manage stablecoin-based payments and deploy a new wallet.

A second source stated that Meta has issued RFPs to multiple third-party companies, with Stripe being the most likely candidate to pilot Meta’s stablecoin.

Last year, Stripe acquired the stablecoin-focused company Bridge, which is also a long-term partner of Meta. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison joined Meta’s board of directors in April 2025.

Meta, Stripe, and Bridge have been asked for comments but have not responded as of press time.

If Meta launches its own stablecoin, it will be able to open payment channels to its massive user base, bypass costly traditional bank fees, and potentially position itself as a global leader in “social commerce” and cross-border remittances.

This move will also put the tech giant in direct competition with Elon Musk’s social media platform X and the instant messaging platform Telegram—both of which are working to embed payments and become “super apps.” This was also one of the original intentions of the Libra project: to leverage its vast network, including WhatsApp’s peer-to-peer messaging, Facebook, and Instagram’s social and business tools, to facilitate payments.

Regulatory Environment Shift

In 2019, Meta launched Libra (later Diem), which faced strong opposition—at a time when the regulatory environment was far less friendly, compounded by ongoing reputational damage from the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Faced with fierce opposition from U.S. lawmakers, the Libra Association scaled back its ambitions in 2020, shifting from a global digital currency backed by a basket of national currencies to developing multiple stablecoins pegged to different currencies.

Ultimately, Meta’s stablecoin was never officially launched; the project was shut down in early 2022, and related assets were sold.

Today, the regulatory environment in the U.S. is markedly different. Several crypto regulatory frameworks are advancing, including President Trump’s GENIUS Act—which for the first time provides a legal foundation for U.S. stablecoin issuers and opens the door for new market participants. However, U.S. regulators are still in the early stages of drafting rules for issuers.

Nevertheless, the experience with Libra/Diem has led Meta to prefer relying on third-party stablecoin payment providers rather than developing its own.

“They want to do this, but keep their distance from it,” said one insider.