Quantoz Becomes Visa Principal Member, Gains Ability to Issue Stable‑Coin Debit Cards Across Europe
Dutch e‑money institution Quantoz Payments secures Visa membership, allowing it to launch virtual Visa‑branded cards backed by its regulated stable‑coin tokens and to act as a BIN sponsor for third‑party fintechs.
Amsterdam, 2024 – Payments‑technology firm Quantoz Payments announced that it has been accepted as a principal member of Visa. The new status gives the Dutch company the right to issue Visa‑branded virtual debit cards whose balances are linked to its own electronic‑money tokens – USDQ, EURQ and EURD – and to provide the underlying card‑issuance infrastructure to other fintech platforms.
What the partnership delivers
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Virtual card issuance: Customers will be able to generate Visa‑compatible virtual cards that draw directly from balances held in Quantoz’s stable‑coin tokens. The cards can be used for online purchases, in‑store transactions (through card‑not‑present or tokenised payments) and within mobile‑wallet ecosystems.
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BIN sponsorship for partners: By acting as a Bank Identification Number (BIN) sponsor, Quantoz will enable fintech firms to embed card‑creation capabilities inside their own products without needing a separate banking licence. This streamlines the path for new stable‑coin‑linked payment solutions to reach European consumers.
- Regulatory safeguards: Quantoz operates under an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence issued by the Dutch central bank. Its tokens are classified as regulated e‑money, with reserves held on a 1:1 basis in safeguarded accounts managed through a bankruptcy‑remote foundation. The company also maintains an additional 2 % reserve buffer on its balance sheet, as required by regulators.
The exact rollout timetable for the inaugural card programmes has not been disclosed, nor have any specific fintech partners been named. The initiative is targeted primarily at the European Economic Area (EEA), where Quantoz already issues its tokens in compliance with local financial‑services regulations.
The broader stable‑coin race among card networks
Quantoz’s move coincides with a period of accelerated activity by major card schemes to embed stable‑coins into mainstream payment flows:
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Visa’s expanding toolkit: Over the past year Visa has broadened its stable‑coin settlement platform to include assets such as Global Dollar (USDG), PayPal USD (PYUSD) and Euro Coin (EURC), adding integrations with the Stellar and Avalanche blockchains. A recent Visa Direct pilot enables banks to pre‑fund cross‑border payments with USDC and EURC, promising near‑instant payouts without the need for large pre‑funded balances. In addition, Visa announced support for four stable‑coins across four distinct blockchains, signalling a continued push to make on‑chain assets interchangeable with fiat‑based card payments.
- Mastercard’s acquisition‑focused strategy: Rather than building every component in‑house, Mastercard has signaled interest in acquiring a turnkey on‑chain payments provider to accelerate its own stable‑coin capabilities, reflecting a divergent approach to the same market opportunity.
Analysis
The partnership gives Quantoz a direct conduit to Visa’s global acceptance network, turning its regulated stable‑coins into spendable money at millions of merchants. For fintechs, the BIN‑sponsorship model lowers the barrier to entry for launching stable‑coin‑linked cards, potentially fostering a wave of niche products—from payroll‑focused solutions to rewards‑driven wallets—targeted at European users.
Regulatory compliance remains a focal point. By anchoring its tokens to fiat reserves held in a protected structure and adding a statutory reserve buffer, Quantoz aims to allay concerns about redemption risk and liquidity—issues that have historically hampered broader stable‑coin adoption for everyday payments.
From Visa’s perspective, the collaboration expands its stable‑coin ecosystem beyond settlement‑only services to the consumer‑facing card layer, reinforcing its position as a bridge between traditional finance and the emerging on‑chain economy.
Key Takeaways
- Quantoz gains Visa principal membership, enabling issuance of virtual Visa cards backed by its USDQ, EURQ and EURD e‑money tokens.
- Fintech partners can leverage Quantoz’s BIN sponsorship to embed stable‑coin card issuance directly into their platforms, bypassing the need for a banking licence.
- Regulatory safeguards include a 1:1 reserve backing, a bankruptcy‑remote foundation, and an extra 2 % reserve buffer.
- Launch details remain undisclosed, with the focus on the European market.
- Visa continues to broaden stable‑coin support across settlement, cross‑border payments and now consumer card products, while Mastercard explores acquisition routes to achieve similar capabilities.
- Potential impact: The move could accelerate the everyday use of regulated stable‑coins for retail purchases, payroll distribution and other consumer‑facing applications in Europe.
The information presented reflects current publicly available data. Readers are encouraged to verify details independently and stay abreast of subsequent announcements from Quantoz, Visa and participating fintech partners.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/quantoz-gains-visa-principal-membership-to-issue-stablecoin-linked-debit-cards-in-europe?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound
