Visa and Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure platform owned by Stripe, are expanding their stablecoin-linked card program with plans to roll it out to more than 100 countries by the end of 2026. The companies say the cards let users spend from stablecoin balances at Visa’s global merchant footprint.
Bridge says developers have already launched these Visa cards in 18 countries, and the next phase targets broader distribution across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East.
Stablecoin-linked cards scale beyond the initial rollout
Bridge’s product is aimed at businesses and fintech developers that want to issue Visa cards connected to stablecoin balances. Visa says the program is gaining momentum globally, enabling everyday purchases from stablecoin balances across Visa’s merchant network.
Visa also named Phantom and MetaMask as examples of crypto platforms using cards to help customers spend stablecoins on daily purchases.
Onchain settlement comes through Visa’s pilot and Lead Bank
A key change in the expanded collaboration is settlement: Visa says that through Bridge’s partnership with Lead Bank, transactions tied to Bridge-enabled cards can be settled onchain with Visa.
Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot is described as a way for issuers and acquirers (including those issuing Bridge-enabled cards) to settle with Visa using stablecoins over supported blockchain networks. Visa notes that Lead Bank was previously announced as a participant in the pilot, and that Bridge powers the stablecoin infrastructure behind Lead Bank.
Visa is testing what stablecoin settlement changes operationally
Visa says the pilot is meant to evaluate how stablecoin settlement could expand settlement choices for issuers and program managers, deliver operational efficiency through onchain reconciliation and faster fund movement, and simplify blockchain interactions through infrastructure providers like Bridge.
Visa’s head of crypto, Cuy Sheffield, framed the expansion as part of Visa meeting businesses “onchain,” emphasizing speed, transparency, and programmability in settlement workflows.
Next step: potential support for Bridge-issued assets
Beyond settlement, Visa says it is also evaluating potential support for “Bridge-issued assets” in future flows, positioning that work as a possible additional settlement pathway for partners.
Bridge CEO and cofounder Zach Abrams said the expanded work could help businesses launching custom stablecoins use those assets more seamlessly within card programs.
Why it matters for crypto
- Stablecoin spending is moving from “crypto card marketing” to real distribution targets: 18 live countries now, 100+ planned by year-end.
- Onchain settlement with Visa is a deeper integration than simple crypto-to-fiat conversion at checkout.
- If issuers can settle using stablecoins, treasury ops and reconciliation could shift toward always-on workflows.
- Platform integrations (like Phantom and MetaMask) suggest stablecoins are getting embedded into consumer wallets, not just exchanges.
What to watch next
- Which specific countries are added as the rollout expands across Europe, APAC, Africa, and the Middle East.
- Whether Visa formally supports Bridge-issued assets in settlement or related flows.
- Growth in issuer/acquirer participation in Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot beyond Lead Bank.
- Adoption signals from wallet and app developers building card programs on Bridge’s APIs.
Source: Visa and Bridge press release