Visa and Bridge Expand Stablecoin-Linked Visa Card Program to 100+ Countries

Visa and Bridge, the stablecoin infrastructure firm acquired by Stripe last year, have expanded their co-developed card program to more than 100 countries a year, showing a strong push to bring digital asset spending into the mainstream of commerce.

In the year The partnership, launched in 18 markets by 2025, will allow fintech companies and businesses to issue payment cards backed by stablecoin balances. Cardholders can use their holdings at more than 175 million merchant locations worldwide that accept Visa.

Crypto wallet providers including Phantom and MetaMask have consolidated their offerings, giving millions of users the ability to convert digital assets into everyday purchases.

A central part of the expanded collaboration includes a pilot program to settle transactions using stablecoins on blockchain networks instead of traditional payment rails.

Through Bridge's partnership with Lead Bank, participating card issuers and payment processors can now complete on-chain settlements directly, speeding up funds transfers and simplifying back-office reconciliation.

The pilot will assess whether blockchain-based settlement can provide meaningful efficiency gains for financial institutions accustomed to traditional clearing processes.

Visa is also exploring whether bridged assets could eventually serve as additional settlement options across its global network, creating new avenues for partners looking for alternatives to traditional payment flows.

The expansion includes Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East, representing the broadest geographic rollout for stablecoin-related payment products to date.