Western Union’s Quiet Trademark Move
The payments giant filed a trademark for “WUUSD” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), signaling potential plans for another crypto-linked product under its brand umbrella.
The filing surfaced shortly after Western Union said it would issue a USD-backed stablecoin called USDPT, to be launched on the Solana blockchain in early 2026.
According to the USPTO records, the WUUSD trademark has been officially accepted for filing but is still awaiting examination. While that doesn’t confirm the product’s existence, it often hints that a public launch is in the works.
The filing lists “stablecoin payment processing, foreign currency exchange, and digital payments” among its possible use cases - all closely aligned with Western Union’s core business model.
What’s the Difference Between WUUSD and USDPT?
Western Union has not mentioned WUUSD in any public statements, and the new name wasn’t referenced in its previous stablecoin announcement. Still, the brand move has raised eyebrows across the industry.
The branding distinction would mirror similar dual-structure strategies seen across the industry - such as Paxos’ USDP and PayPal’s PYUSD, or Binance’s BUSD and FDUSD - each tailored for different markets, issuers, or blockchain networks.
Western Union’s Push Into Blockchain
Western Union’s move into stablecoins represents a major pivot for one of the world’s oldest remittance companies, which serves over 150 million users globally.
Earlier this month, CEO Devin McGranahan announced that Western Union was piloting on-chain settlement rails to reduce dependency on legacy banking systems, speed up transfers, and lower costs - all while maintaining compliance standards.
The firm said it intends to create a “digital asset network” that bridges traditional payments with blockchain-based infrastructure. However, Western Union hasn’t clarified whether this network could support multiple stablecoins, or if WUUSD is a rebrand of USDPT.
Stablecoin Competition Heats Up
Western Union’s filing comes amid an arms race among global stablecoin issuers, as financial institutions race to capture market share in the $312 billion sector.
Companies like Tether, Circle, and Paxos have already launched multiple tokens across different currencies and blockchains - a strategy that enables them to expand regionally and navigate diverse regulations.
With the GENIUS Act in place and U.S. regulators embracing stablecoin oversight, corporate entrants like Western Union could soon compete directly with native crypto issuers.
And with over 50% of Myriad prediction market participants betting that the stablecoin market will reach $360 billion by February 2026, it seems Western Union’s timing couldn’t be better.
