Visa Plans Blockchain Card Rollout Across 100 Countries

Key Insights:

• Visa plans to expand its blockchain card program from 18 markets to more than 100 countries by end-2026 through Bridge.
• The cards let users spend stablecoins from wallets like MetaMask and Phantom at Visa merchants without changing checkout systems.
• Visa is also piloting on-chain settlement with Bridge and Lead Bank, adding blockchain rails to parts of its global payments flow.

Visa plans to expand its blockchain-linked card program to more than 100 countries by the end of 2026 through its partnership with Bridge, a Stripe-owned company. The program, already live in 18 countries, allows users to spend stablecoins from wallets such as MetaMask and Phantom at Visa merchants, while Visa also pilots on-chain settlement for some card transactions through supported blockchain networks.

Visa Expands Stablecoin Card Program

Visa’s program is being developed with Bridge, a company acquired by Stripe in 2025. Bridge provides the infrastructure that connects stablecoin balances held in crypto wallets to Visa’s payment network. As a result, users can spend digital assets at merchants that already accept Visa. The move extends the company’s earlier rollout in Latin America and brings the service to more markets across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Visa said the broader rollout will allow more users to access stablecoin-backed payment cards through wallet providers and fintech platforms. The company is positioning the program as part of its wider effort to add blockchain-based payment options to existing financial services.

Bridge Partnership Supports Wallet-based Spending

Bridge will now assist companies by issuing branded stablecoin-backed cards. Crypto platforms such as MetaMask and Phantom are among the types of wallet providers that can connect to the system. This gives users a way to spend digital assets directly from supported wallets.

Visa remains the payment network behind the transactions. When a customer makes a purchase, the transaction is processed through Visa’s merchant network. That network handles about $16 trillion in annual payment volume, giving the blockchain card program access to a large global acceptance base.

Bridge executives said stablecoin wallets need payment cards if users want to spend their balances in the real world. Visa’s existing merchant acceptance network gives wallet providers a direct route into stores, online checkouts, and other payment points where Visa is already accepted.

On-chain Settlement Pilot Adds Blockchain Payment Rail

Visa and Bridge are also testing on-chain settlement for card transactions. Under the pilot, supported transactions can be settled in stablecoins over blockchain networks instead of relying only on traditional bank transfers. Lead Bank is involved in the program’s settlement structure.

The settlement pilot builds on Visa’s earlier blockchain payment work with other fintech firms, including Worldpay and Nuvei. By adding Bridge to the project, Visa is expanding the number of partners involved in stablecoin-based settlement for card activity.

This pilot focuses on how transactions move after the card payment is made. In a standard card payment flow, settlement typically occurs through bank-based systems. With stablecoin settlement, part of that process can move on-chain, using supported digital assets and blockchain rails.

Broader Payment Strategy and Market Focus

Visa’s blockchain card rollout comes as stablecoins receive more attention from payment firms, fintech companies, and digital wallet providers. At the same time, companies in the sector are exploring how regulated digital assets can be used for consumer payments without displacing established card networks.

The company’s approach keeps banks, merchants, and wallet providers within the same payment structure. Users hold stablecoins in supported wallets, while merchants continue accepting Visa in the usual way. That reduces the need for merchants to adopt separate crypto payment tools at checkout.

The rollout may also widen access to stablecoin payments in regions where digital wallet use is growing. Visa said the program is designed to support broader use across international markets, with the target of more than 100 countries marking the next phase of the expansion.

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