Visa and Stripe‑Owned Bridge Expand Stablecoin‑Backed Card Programme to Over 100 Countries
The partnership, now live in 18 markets, will let fintechs and digital‑wallet providers issue Visa cards backed by stablecoins, with on‑chain settlement pilots already under way.
Overview
Visa announced an extension of its collaboration with Bridge, the stablecoin‑infrastructure platform acquired by Stripe in 2025. By the end of 2026 the joint offering will be available in more than 100 jurisdictions across Europe, the Asia‑Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East. The service enables fintech firms and crypto wallets to issue Visa‑branded debit cards whose spendable balance is a stablecoin rather than a fiat currency. Cardholders can use the cards at any of Visa’s roughly 175 million merchant locations worldwide.
How the System Works
- Card issuance: Developers integrate a single Bridge API to create and manage stablecoin‑backed Visa cards for their users.
- Payment flow: When a purchase is made, the merchant receives a normal Visa authorization. The underlying settlement can be routed through a blockchain network instead of traditional correspondent banking channels.
- On‑chain settlement pilot: Lead Bank, a participant in Visa’s stablecoin‑settlement initiative, is testing settlement on the Solana blockchain. The pilot aims to evaluate whether blockchain‑based settlement can reduce reconciliation effort, lower operating costs and give issuers more flexibility in moving value across payment networks.
Stakeholder Perspectives
- Visa: “We are committed to meeting businesses where they operate, and increasingly that’s on‑chain,” said Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s head of crypto. The rollout is presented as a step toward embedding blockchain‑native settlement within the broader payments ecosystem while preserving the convenience of Visa’s network.
- Stripe/Bridge: The acquisition of Bridge gave Stripe a ready‑made bridge between stablecoin liquidity and traditional card infrastructure. The unified API simplifies the developer experience, allowing rapid onboarding of new card programmes.
- Fintechs and wallets: Services such as Phantom and MetaMask have already integrated the offering, granting millions of users the ability to spend stablecoins on everyday purchases without requiring merchants to accept crypto directly.
Custom Stablecoins and the Broader Market
Bridge co‑founder Zach Abrams highlighted that the expansion will benefit projects launching their own “application‑specific” stablecoins, allowing those tokens to be linked to Visa cards with minimal friction. The move follows recent activity in the ecosystem, such as MoonPay and M0’s launch of the PYUSDx framework, which streamlines the creation and management of bespoke stablecoins built on PayPal’s PYUSD token.
Analysts view the rollout as evidence of a growing convergence between legacy payments infrastructure and decentralized finance (DeFi) technologies. Stablecoin‑linked cards have emerged as a pragmatic bridge, offering the price stability of fiat‑pegged assets while leveraging existing merchant acceptance networks.
Regulatory Context
The expansion coincides with heightened regulatory attention to stablecoins. In the United States, the pending GENIUS Act is expected to clarify the legal framework governing stablecoin issuance and usage. Clearer rules could accelerate adoption by reducing compliance uncertainty for issuers and card networks alike.
Key Takeaways
- Geographic reach: Visa‑Bridge cards will be available in 100+ countries by late 2026, scaling from the current 18‑country footprint.
- On‑chain settlement trial: The Solana‑based pilot with Lead Bank tests whether blockchain can improve settlement efficiency and reconciliation for card transactions.
- Developer‑first approach: A single API from Bridge (now under Stripe) streamlines issuance, making it easier for fintechs and wallet providers to launch stablecoin‑backed cards.
- Support for custom tokens: The programme facilitates integration of bespoke stablecoins, aligning with broader trends toward “own‑your‑financial‑stack” solutions.
- Regulatory alignment: Ongoing U.S. legislation and global guidance may provide the clarity needed for wider institutional participation in stablecoin‑linked card services.
The Visa‑Bridge initiative marks a notable milestone in the mainstreaming of crypto‑based payments, offering a seamless consumer experience while experimenting with blockchain settlement models that could reshape the economics of card transactions in the years ahead.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/tradfi-and-fintech/visa-and-stripe-owned-bridge-roll-out-stablecoin-linked-cards-to-100-countries
