TLDR
- Visa partners with Stripe-owned Bridge to scale stablecoin card availability from 18 markets to over 100 by late 2026
- Users can spend crypto holdings from self-custody wallets like Phantom and MetaMask at 175 million merchant locations globally
- Stablecoin payment settlement through Visa reached $4.6 billion on an annualized basis in December 2025
- Direct on-chain settlement capability launched through collaboration with Lead Bank
- Bridge secured conditional national banking charter approval from US regulators in February 2026
Visa is partnering with Bridge, the stablecoin platform acquired by Stripe, to bring crypto-linked payment cards to over 100 nations worldwide before 2027. The initiative began with a Latin American pilot in 2025 and currently operates across 18 markets.
These innovative payment cards enable consumers to make purchases using stablecoin holdings stored in cryptocurrency wallets. Compatible wallets include MetaMask and Phantom. Retailers receive funds in traditional fiat currency, maintaining the familiar payment experience.
The global rollout targets Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, and Middle Eastern markets. All cards function across Visa’s established infrastructure of 175 million accepting businesses worldwide.
Stripe completed its acquisition of Bridge for $1.1 billion. Following the deal, Bridge accelerated development of its stablecoin platform and submitted applications for US national banking authority.
In February 2026, Bridge obtained conditional regulatory approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. This authorization permits Bridge to hold cryptocurrency assets, create stablecoins, and oversee stablecoin backing reserves.
The payment infrastructure currently accepts four major stablecoins: USDC from Circle, euro-denominated EURC, PayPal USD, and Paxos Global Dollar. These digital currencies operate on four blockchain platforms: Solana, Ethereum, Stellar, and Avalanche.
Stablecoin Settlement Goes Onchain
A significant program enhancement enables transaction settlement to occur directly in digital currencies. Bridge achieved this capability through its collaboration with Lead Bank, an independent banking institution participating in Visa’s experimental program.
Previously, Bridge’s system exchanged stablecoin balances for traditional currency before completing settlements. The new framework allows these financial transfers to settle on blockchain networks through Visa’s infrastructure.
Cuy Sheffield, leading Visa’s cryptocurrency division, explained the company prioritizes serving businesses wherever they operate, which increasingly means blockchain-based environments.
By December 2025, Visa’s stablecoin settlement activity achieved an annualized rate of $4.6 billion.
Custom Stablecoins Enter the Picture
Visa is exploring integration of Bridge-created stablecoins into its payment network. These represent digital currencies that companies design and control through Bridge’s technology platform, independent of established issuers like Tether or Circle.
Bridge CEO Zach Abrams explained this capability would empower companies to deploy proprietary stablecoins within their card offerings.
Mastercard has made parallel advances in this sector. The company recently launched stablecoin card functionality in the United States through integration with MetaMask’s non-custodial wallet.
Stripe is simultaneously collaborating with Paradigm, a crypto investment firm, to build Tempo—a blockchain network optimized for payment applications. The GENIUS Act, recent US legislation focused on stablecoin regulation, has encouraged traditional financial institutions to expand experimentation in digital currency payments.
Bridge’s conditional banking charter approval from February 2026 represents the latest milestone in this evolving narrative.
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