WalletConnect Launches POS Stablecoin Payment Service

On January 19, WalletConnect CEO Jess Houlgrave announced a partnership with Ingenico to launch stablecoin payment functionality on point-of-sale (POS) terminals. The first phase will allow acquiring institutions and payment service providers (PSPs) to use WalletConnect Pay on Ingenico terminals starting in January 2026. The first batch of merchants is expected to gradually onboard in Europe during Q1 and Q2 2026 as PSPs roll out the service across their merchant networks, with further expansion planned thereafter. The service enables "on-chain direct payments" that bypass traditional banking and credit card networks. It integrates into existing POS systems as an additional tag or application: users scan a code, select a blockchain (e.g., SOL, ETH) in wallets like MetaMask, and complete a signature to finalize the on-chain transaction. While some view this as a major breakthrough for bringing on-chain assets to offline consumption scenarios, the current workflow still relies heavily on users notifying cashiers upfront and completing multiple manual steps.