Lily Liu: Solana is building payment rails for the AI machine economy — and Western Union just proved it.

Solana Foundation President Lily Liu used a Consensus Miami 2026 stage to make a pointed case: Western Union adopting Solana for stablecoin payments is not just a business win — it's proof that blockchain has crossed from speculative technology into genuine financial infrastructure. Liu noted that Visa reached the same conclusion after an extensive review of blockchain networks back in 2023, and that Meta's recent stablecoin integration adds further weight to the thesis.

The more forward-looking argument was about machines, not humans. Liu contends that traditional card networks are structurally incapable of supporting the micropayment volumes that AI-to-AI commerce will require — interchange fees make sub-dollar transactions economically unviable at scale. Solana's speed, low cost, and deep liquidity make it the natural settlement layer for autonomous agents transacting in real…