Meta Pays Facebook Creators in Colombia, Philippines in USDC

Meta has begun a pilot program paying a small group of Facebook creators in Colombia and the Philippines in USD Coin (USDC). The company routes those payouts over the Solana and Polygon blockchains to speed cross-border transfers and lower fees.

The pilot covers creators who earn money through Facebook tools such as ad revenue and paid subscriptions. Participants must link a compatible crypto wallet, such as MetaMask or Phantom, to receive USDC on Solana or Polygon. Meta does not convert tokens into local currency; creators must move funds to a crypto exchange and withdraw to a bank account, where any conversion fees apply.

Meta described the effort as an exploration of stablecoins within broader payment options and has partnered with Stripe to help support tax reporting for the payouts. The company did not revive its earlier Libra/Diem plan and is using existing blockchains and a dollar-pegged token rather than launching a proprietary currency.

Colombia and the Philippines were chosen in part because both markets face slow or costly cross-border payment routes and, in some areas, limited banking access. For many creators in the Philippines, international payments can take days and carry high fees. Outside major Colombian cities, access to bank branches and services is uneven.

The operational flow requires creators to connect a compatible wallet, earn income via Facebook tools, receive USDC on Solana or Polygon, transfer tokens to an exchange and withdraw converted local currency to a bank account. Meta handles the initial token transfer but not the final conversion into local cash or any fees that exchange platforms charge.

Several companies and merchants already accept or are testing USDC and other stablecoins for cross-border transfers and gig-economy payments. Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon Labs, predicted the pilot could expand to more than 160 countries by the end of 2026.

Creators in the pilot can receive funds faster than traditional wire transfers and may face lower intermediary fees. The process requires users to manage wallets, perform token transfers and locate reliable on-ramps to convert crypto into local currency, steps that add time and cost for users unfamiliar with crypto tools.