TLDR
- Visa partners with Stripe-owned Bridge to bring stablecoin-linked payment cards to over 100 countries by late 2026, expanding from the current 18 markets
- Users can spend stablecoin balances from wallets including MetaMask and Phantom at 175 million Visa-accepting merchants worldwide
- Stablecoin settlement through Visa reached $4.6 billion on an annualized basis in December 2025
- Onchain settlement capabilities launched through Lead Bank partnership, enabling direct stablecoin transaction processing
- Bridge obtained conditional approval for US national bank charter status in February 2026
Visa has partnered with Bridge, a Stripe subsidiary, to scale stablecoin-linked payment cards across more than 100 countries before 2027. The initiative launched in Latin American markets during 2025 and currently operates in 18 nations.
Visa just announced stablecoin debit cards are coming to 100+ countries by 2026.
The payment giant is expanding its partnership with Bridge (now owned by Stripe) to let users spend $USDC or $USDT at 175M merchants worldwide.
And the program is already live in 18 countries.… pic.twitter.com/WU2feviKGb
— Milk Road (@MilkRoad) March 3, 2026
These payment cards enable consumers to make purchases using stablecoin holdings stored in cryptocurrency wallets. Compatible wallets include MetaMask and Phantom. Merchants process these transactions in their preferred local currency, maintaining the same experience as traditional card payments.
The rollout targets Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Middle Eastern markets. All 175 million merchant locations within Visa’s global network will process these cards.
Stripe completed its acquisition of Bridge for $1.1 billion. Following the acquisition, Bridge expanded its stablecoin payment infrastructure and submitted applications for US national banking authority.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted Bridge conditional approval in February 2026. This regulatory clearance permits Bridge to provide crypto custody services, create stablecoins, and oversee stablecoin reserve management.
Four stablecoins operate within the program: Circle’s USDC, euro-denominated EURC, PayPal USD, and Global Dollar from Paxos. These digital currencies function on four blockchain platforms: Solana, Ethereum, Stellar, and Avalanche.
Stablecoin Settlement Goes Onchain
The program introduced direct stablecoin settlement capabilities as a major enhancement. Bridge activated this feature through its collaboration with Lead Bank, an independent commercial banking institution participating in Visa’s experimental program.
Previous iterations required Bridge to exchange stablecoin funds for traditional currency during settlement. The current system processes these transactions onchain through Visa’s infrastructure.
Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s crypto division leader, emphasized the company’s commitment to serving businesses where they conduct operations, which increasingly means blockchain-based environments.
Visa’s stablecoin settlement volume hit an annualized rate of $4.6 billion in December 2025.
Custom Stablecoins Enter the Picture
Visa is exploring integration possibilities for Bridge-created stablecoins. These digital currencies allow companies to design and control their own stablecoins through Bridge’s platform, providing an alternative to established issuers like Tether or Circle.
Bridge CEO Zach Abrams explained this approach would empower companies to deploy proprietary stablecoins within their card payment programs.
Mastercard has entered similar territory. The company recently launched stablecoin card payment functionality in the United States through MetaMask’s self-custodial wallet platform.
Stripe is building Tempo, a blockchain designed specifically for payment processing, alongside investment partner Paradigm. The GENIUS Act, US legislation focused on stablecoin regulation, became law and encouraged traditional financial institutions to explore this emerging sector.
Bridge’s February 2026 conditional national bank charter approval represents the latest milestone in this ongoing development.
