Catenaa, Monday, February 16, 2026-MoonPay said Tuesday it has reached an agreement that could allow about 40,000 companies in the UK and European Union to pay employees in stablecoins, marking another step toward wider use of digital currencies in payroll.
The payments firm said the initiative will be powered by Iron, its fiat infrastructure subsidiary, through a partnership with payroll and human resources platform Deel.
Under the arrangement, businesses would be able to distribute wages in stablecoins that are sent directly to workers’ digital wallets.
MoonPay said the service is expected to launch first in the UK and EU, with plans to expand to the US at a later stage.
The rollout would target companies already using Deel’s global payroll services, which handle compliance and payments across multiple jurisdictions.
Stablecoin payroll has gained attention as companies look to speed up cross-border payments and reduce reliance on traditional banking rails.
Deel has had exposure to crypto-based compensation since at least 2021, when it enabled workers to receive wages in USDC and on the Solana network. That same year, the company raised $425 million in a Series D funding round.
Deel processed about $22 billion in global payroll during 2025, according to figures cited by MoonPay, highlighting the scale of payments that could eventually move through stablecoin channels if adoption grows.
MoonPay has been expanding its role in crypto infrastructure beyond consumer on-ramps.
Late last year, self-custody wallet provider Exodus Movement partnered with MoonPay and M0 to launch a US dollar-backed stablecoin, signaling a broader push into payment and settlement services.
The latest partnership reflects continued efforts by crypto firms to embed stablecoins into everyday business operations, particularly in regions with complex cross-border payroll needs.
