SoFi Just Made a Big Move Into Blockchain Payments. Here's What Investors Need to Know.
When people think about blockchains, they often think about Bitcoinand cryptocurrency trading. But the technology could also change how money moves around the world.
SoFi Technologies(NASDAQ: SOFI) is betting on that opportunity. In September, the digital financial services company began using its own digital dollar to settle transactions across its Mastercardcard program. This could open a new growth opportunity for SoFi beyond banking and lending.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
But investors should keep one thing in mind: Processing more transactions does not automatically mean making more money. SoFi Technologies still needs to prove that its blockchain business can generate meaningful profits.
SoFi wants to change how money moves
Consider what happens when you pay for something with a credit card. You may see the payment go through almost instantly, but the banks and other financial institutions involved still need to settle the money between themselves.
That process can take time.
A blockchain offers another way to move money. It allows participating institutions to transfer and record funds on a shared digital network, potentially allowing transactions to settle at any time of day.
SoFi Technologies wants to bring this technology into everyday payments. Its digital dollar, called SoFiUSD, is designed to maintain a value of $1, unlike Bitcoin, whose price can rise or fall sharply.
If the system works well, it could help move money more quickly and give businesses faster access to their funds.
Mastercard gives SoFi a head start
Building a new payment network is difficult. A company needs banks , merchants, and customers to adopt it before the network becomes useful.
SoFi Technologies does not have to start from scratch. Its partnership with Mastercard allows it to introduce blockchain settlement through an established global payments network. That gives the company a practical way to test whether the technology can improve an existing system.
The potential benefits of digital currency go beyond speed. Faster settlement could help businesses access their money sooner, while payments that operate around the clock could make moving money between institutions more convenient.
Having said that, the real financial benefit in the long run will depend on whether the new system reduces costs, improves capital use, or helps SoFi win additional business.
In other words, the technology may work, but investors still need to see whether it makes economic sense.
SoFi has a growing business behind it
SoFi is not relying on the blockchain alone to drive its growth. Its existing financial services business is already expanding.
In the third quarter of 2026, the company reported $1.4 billion in revenue, up 44% from a year earlier. Net income reached $241 million, while membership grew 35% to 17.1 million. These results give SoFi a growing customer base and an established business to build on.
That matters because SoFi could introduce new services to customers who already use its banking, lending, or investing products. If those customers adopt its digital-dollar services, the company could deepen its relationships with them.
SoFi is also expanding its connections with the digital-asset industry. In September, it partnered with Payward, the company behind cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, to connect its banking services with digital-asset markets.
Together, these moves suggest that SoFi wants to do more than let customers trade cryptocurrency. It aims for something bigger: to facilitate the movement of money between traditional banking and blockchain-based financial services.
What investors should watch next?
SoFi has made a meaningful move into blockchain payments. The next question is whether it can turn that move into a profitable business.
Investors should watch for three things.
First, greater usage. If more businesses and financial institutions use SoFiUSD, it would suggest that the product is becoming useful beyond SoFi's own operations.
Second, measurable savings or new revenue. The Mastercard partnership could help SoFi move money more efficiently, but the company needs to show that these improvements translate into financial benefits.
Third, profitability. Growing transaction volumes are encouraging only if SoFi can generate attractive returns after accounting for business costs.
The opportunity is straightforward: If SoFi can make moving money easier and cheaper, it may be able to build a valuable business around the service.
But the outcome is not guaranteed. For now, investors should view blockchain payments as a potential source of future growth rather than an established earnings driver.
Should you buy stock in SoFi Technologies right now?
Before you buy stock in SoFi Technologies, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and SoFi Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflixmade this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $334,793!* Or when Nvidiamade this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,257,420!*
Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 874% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 209% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor , and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of November 1, 2026.
Lawrence Nga has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
SoFi Just Made a Big Move Into Blockchain Payments. Here's What Investors Need to Know. was originally published by The Motley Fool
