Global payments provider Visa (NYSE: V) has announced an expansion of its partnership with Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure platform and Stripe company. The move, revealed on March 3, 2026, builds on an initial collaboration unveiled in 2025 and aims to make stablecoin-backed Visa cards available in over 100 countries by the end of the year.
This development signals accelerating integration between blockchain technology and everyday spending, allowing consumers to use digital asset balances for routine purchases at more than 175 million merchant locations worldwide.
Under the enhanced agreement, Bridge empowers businesses and fintech developers to issue Visa cards directly linked to stablecoin holdings.
Through its collaboration with Lead Bank, these cards now support on-chain settlement with Visa, enabling seamless transactions settled via blockchain networks. Since the program’s debut, adoption has surged.
The cards are already operational in 18 countries, with aggressive rollout plans targeting regions across Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.
Crypto platforms such as Phantom and MetaMask have integrated the offering, giving millions of users straightforward ways to spend stablecoins on daily needs without converting to fiat currency first.
At the core of the expansion is Visa’s growing stablecoin settlement pilot.
This initiative lets issuers and acquirers—including those tied to Bridge-enabled cards—complete settlements using stablecoins on supported blockchains.
Lead Bank joined the pilot earlier this year, with Bridge supplying the underlying infrastructure.
The program is designed to test several key advantages: greater flexibility in settlement choices for financial partners, improved operational efficiency through automated on-chain reconciliation, and faster movement of funds.
It also explores how specialized platforms like Bridge can simplify complex blockchain processes for traditional institutions.
“Visa is committed to meeting businesses where they operate, and increasingly, that’s onchain,” said Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s Head of Crypto.
The partnership, he added, introduces enhanced speed, transparency, and programmability into the settlement process, giving partners more options while strengthening Visa’s position as a reliable bridge between stablecoins and the broader payments network.
Visa is further assessing the possibility of incorporating Bridge-issued assets into future transaction flows.
This evaluation focuses on how such assets could enhance the network’s capabilities and create additional settlement pathways for participants.
Bridge CEO and co-founder Zach Abrams described the development as part of a longer-term vision.
“This expansion of our work with Visa will enable businesses launching their own custom stablecoins to use them seamlessly within their card programs,” he noted, emphasizing Bridge’s goal of helping companies build complete financial solutions independently.
The announcement underscores growing institutional confidence in stablecoins for real-world applications.
By combining Visa’s vast merchant acceptance with Bridge’s blockchain expertise, the partnership is poised to transform how digital assets interact with global commerce. As the cards expand geographically and the settlement pilot matures, consumers and businesses alike stand to benefit from faster, more efficient cross-border value transfer without leaving the Visa ecosystem.