5 Big Moves in Payments This Month (October 2026)

Stablecoins and crypto payments moved fast this month. Here are the five changes business owners should know about, and what each one means for you.

1. Solana goes near-instant

Solana's Alpenglow upgrade, scheduled for October 21, targets payments that are final in about 150 milliseconds, down from 12.8 seconds. What it means for your business.

2. USDC is coming to Samsung Wallet

Samsung announced USDC for Samsung Wallet users on US Galaxy phones. That puts a stablecoin in the pocket of a lot of everyday shoppers.

3. Kraken's owner is buying a bank

On October 14, Payward, the company behind the Kraken exchange, agreed to buy Saldo Bank, an EU-licensed bank. Regulators still have to approve it. Crypto companies are becoming banks.

4. Free USDC transfers on Sui

Eligible USDC transfers on the Sui network now cost no network fee at all.

5. The US stablecoin law has a start date

The GENIUS Act, the first US law written for stablecoins, takes effect on January 18, 2027. It sets the rules for who can issue stablecoins in the US. It's one reason we recommend USDC, from a US issuer, as the default for US businesses.

What to do with all this

Your customers are getting stablecoins in the apps they already use. The businesses that accept them first will be the ones those customers find.

Be first in your area. XL Pay lets you take USDC, PayPal USD and Ripple USD at your counter or on your website, straight to your own wallet, with no chargebacks. See XL Pay, or if you're new to all of this, start with our plain-English guide.

Sources: Solana, Samsung, Payward, Sui documentation and the OCC. Not financial advice.