March 4 News: Global payments giant Visa Inc. is accelerating its development of stablecoin payment networks. The company announced an expansion of its partnership with Bridge to promote the issuance of stablecoin-linked cards worldwide, with plans to cover more than 100 countries and regions by the end of 2026. Following the announcement, Visa’s stock price slightly declined to around $317 during trading.
According to disclosed information, Bridge currently supports fintech companies issuing Visa payment cards backed by stablecoin balances. These cards can be directly linked to crypto wallets, allowing users to make purchases at over 175 million merchants worldwide. During payment, the system automatically converts stablecoin balances into fiat currency for settlement, ensuring compatibility with traditional retail payment systems while maintaining the convenience of digital asset payments.
Initially, this plan was mainly targeted at the Latin American market and has already been implemented in 18 countries. As the partnership deepens, Visa and Bridge plan to gradually expand stablecoin cards to Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Industry experts believe this move indicates that stablecoin payments are transitioning from regional pilots to broader international deployment.
Meanwhile, Visa is also advancing a pilot project for on-chain stablecoin settlement. Some partner banks have joined the testing, utilizing blockchain infrastructure provided by Bridge to settle transactions using stablecoins on designated networks. This mechanism aims to evaluate the potential advantages of blockchain settlement in terms of transaction speed, operational efficiency, and accounting reconciliation, comparing it with traditional payment clearing systems.
Notably, Bridge was previously acquired by Stripe for approximately $1.1 billion and has obtained a conditional national bank charter from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). This allows Bridge to offer custodial services, stablecoin issuance, and reserve management in the future, providing a more comprehensive financial compliance framework for stablecoin payment infrastructure.
As stablecoins continue to expand in cross-border remittances, payroll, and corporate payments, traditional payment networks are gradually integrating programmable digital assets into their systems. The collaboration between Visa and Bridge is seen as a significant step toward the commercialization of stablecoins in the global payments industry.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
twin3.ai launches a Web 4.0 soul contract testnet, enabling on-chain digital identities with a 256-dimensional SBT
Twin3 launched digital identity infrastructure for the Agent economy on April 14 and rolled it out on the testnet. The protocol uses soulbound tokens to store users’ identities and experiences, building digital identities, supporting personal AI agents, and driving automated economic collaboration.
GateNews29m ago
Scroll proposes revoking the UN Security Council; multisig addresses take over three major agreement contracts
Scroll Foundation proposed on April 14 to dissolve the current Security Council and transfer administrative control to Scroll Admin’s multisig address because the Security Council’s operating costs do not match actual usage. The transition period will be ten days, and it will rely on member support. The new structure will continue to ensure the protocol’s security standards, and this does not mean compromising on security. The role of DAO contributors will also be scaled back to align with current priorities and operational needs.
MarketWhisper1h ago
Cardano Sets Stage for Two Key Upgrades in H1, 2026, What to Expect? - U.Today
Cardano is preparing for two major upgrades in 2026: Ouroboros Leios, a scaling solution to boost transaction speeds, and the van Rossem hard fork to enhance performance and security. Both upgrades are on track for June launches.
UToday1h ago
Scroll proposes to dissolve the Security Council; governance over protocol management will be transferred to a multisig address
Gate News message, April 14, Scroll released an important proposal for protocol governance, planning to dissolve the Security Council and transfer protocol management permissions to the Scroll Admin multisig address. The transition is expected to be completed within the next ten days. Scroll said that the operating costs of the Security Council are no longer reasonable compared with the actual usage in the past few quarters, and the related resources should be better used for product development and growth. Scroll will work with major stakeholders to explore a new Security Council structure that is more suitable for current market conditions.
GateNews1h ago
