On May 7, 2023, Stripe announced the launch of stablecoin accounts in over 100 countries worldwide, allowing merchants to store funds and make international payments using USDC and USDB. This move aims to simplify cross-border transactions, reduce costs, and enhance settlement speed. 

Stripe's stablecoin accounts enable merchants to receive and make payments in USDC or USDB, with the system automatically converting the stablecoins to fiat currency, thus avoiding the complexity of managing cryptocurrencies on their own. Currently, Stripe supports processing USDC payments on blockchains such as Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon. 

Additionally, Stripe plans to launch a Visa-supported payment card to further expand its cryptocurrency payment ecosystem. However, Australian users will need to wait until local regulations are clarified before they can use these new features. 

Stripe's initiative marks its return to the cryptocurrency payment space, aiming to provide global merchants with more flexible and efficient payment solutions.