Visa Opens Stablecoin Payments in Over 100 Countries via Bridge
📋 En bref (TL;DR)
- 100 countries by end of 2026: Visa and Bridge plan to expand stablecoin-linked payment cards to over 100 countries (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East)
- 18 countries already live: the service has been active since 2025, allowing users to spend stablecoins with 175 million Visa merchants
- Bridge, Stripe’s subsidiary: acquired for $1.1 billion in 2024, Bridge provides the stablecoin infrastructure connecting the blockchain to the Visa network
- On-chain settlement: a major breakthrough — transactions can now be settled directly in stablecoins on the blockchain, without prior conversion to fiat currency
- Integrated wallets: Phantom and MetaMask already allow users to pay in stablecoins directly from their wallets
- Custom stablecoins: businesses will be able to launch their own stablecoins and use them via Visa cards
Visa and Bridge: Stablecoins in 100 Countries
On March 3, 2026, Visa and Bridge — the stablecoin infrastructure platform acquired by Stripe for $1.1 billion — announced a major expansion of their partnership. Stablecoin-linked payment cards, already active in 18 countries, will be deployed in over 100 countries across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East by year end.
The concept is straightforward: users of crypto wallets like Phantom or MetaMask can spend their stablecoins directly at any of the 175 million merchants that accept Visa, with no manual conversion step required. “Expanding our work with Bridge gives us another way to bring the speed, transparency, and programmability of stablecoins directly into the settlement process,” said Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s head of crypto.
On-Chain Settlement: A Technical Breakthrough
The most significant innovation of this expanded partnership lies in on-chain settlement. Until now, when a user paid with stablecoins via a Visa card, the process involved a conversion to fiat currency before final settlement. The new system, made possible through the partnership between Bridge and Lead Bank, allows transactions to be settled directly in stablecoins on the blockchain.
In practice, when a consumer pays for their coffee with USDC from their Phantom wallet, the merchant can receive settlement directly in stablecoins on a supported blockchain network — bypassing the traditional banking circuit entirely. This reduces costs, speeds up settlement, and opens the door to automation via smart contracts.
Bridge: Stripe’s Cornerstone in Stablecoins
Bridge, co-founded by Zach Abrams, has established itself as the invisible infrastructure connecting the stablecoin world to traditional payment networks. Stripe’s acquisition in 2024 for $1.1 billion was the largest acquisition in the history of the stablecoin sector.
The platform allows companies to issue, manage, and transfer stablecoins through simple APIs. Use cases include international transfers, cross-border payroll, and e-commerce. With the Visa expansion, Bridge opens a new chapter: “Companies launching their own custom stablecoins will be able to use them seamlessly within their card programs,” says Abrams.
A Race for Stablecoin Payments
The Visa-Bridge announcement is part of a global acceleration in stablecoin adoption for payments. The stablecoin market exceeded $300 billion in market capitalization in 2025, with analysts projecting a $2 trillion market by 2028.
Competition is intensifying on several fronts:
- PayPal has launched its own stablecoin (PYUSD) and is progressively integrating it into its payment platform
- Visa has developed a tokenized asset platform enabling banks to issue stablecoins on Ethereum
- Mastercard is multiplying partnerships with crypto card issuers
- Japanese banks (MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho) are testing a shared stablecoin network for corporate payments
What Does This Mean for Users?
For stablecoin holders, the Visa-Bridge expansion transforms digital assets that primarily served trading and DeFi into genuine everyday payment instruments. A freelancer in Nigeria paid in USDC will be able to spend their earnings directly at local merchants accepting Visa, without conversion fees and without a traditional bank account.
The most promising use cases include international transfers (remittances), where stablecoins can reduce fees from 6–8% to under 1%, and cross-border payroll, where companies can pay salaries in stablecoins instantly across dozens of countries.
📚 Glossary
- Stablecoin: A cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a stable asset (dollar, euro). The most well-known are USDT (Tether) and USDC (Circle).
- On-chain settlement: The process of finalizing a payment directly on the blockchain, bypassing traditional banking circuits. Faster and less costly.
- Wallet (crypto wallet): An application or device used to store, receive, and send cryptocurrencies. Phantom (Solana) and MetaMask (Ethereum) are among the most popular.
- Smart contract: A self-executing program deployed on a blockchain that runs automatically when predefined conditions are met.
- Ethereum (ETH): The second-largest blockchain by market capitalization. The leading platform for smart contracts, DeFi, and stablecoins.
Frequently asked questions
How do Visa stablecoin-linked cards work?
Users of crypto wallets like Phantom or MetaMask can spend their stablecoins directly at 175 million Visa merchants. Bridge handles the conversion and settlement, which can now be done directly on-chain.
What is Bridge and why did Stripe acquire it?
Bridge is a stablecoin infrastructure platform that allows companies to issue and manage stablecoins via APIs. Stripe acquired it for $1.1 billion in 2024 to integrate stablecoin payments into its global network.
Which stablecoins can be used with Visa cards?
The partnership primarily supports USDC and other dollar-backed stablecoins. Bridge also allows companies to create their own custom stablecoins usable on the Visa network.
What does on-chain settlement change for payments?
On-chain settlement allows transactions to be finalized directly in stablecoins on the blockchain, without conversion to fiat currency. This reduces costs, speeds up settlement, and enables automation via smart contracts.
When will Visa stablecoin cards be available in my country?
Cards are already active in 18 countries. Visa and Bridge plan to expand to over 100 countries (Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East) by the end of 2026.
📰 Sources
This article is based on the following sources:
- Visa (official press release) – Visa and Bridge Expand Collaboration, with Plans to Bring Stablecoin-Linked Cards to Over 100 Countries (March 3, 2026)
- CoinDesk – Visa and Bridge plan stablecoin-linked card expansion to over 100 countries (March 3, 2026)
- Fortune – Visa to expand card partnership with Stripe’s Bridge to over 100 countries (March 3, 2026)
- BeInCrypto – Visa and Bridge Plan Major Expansion of Stablecoin-Linked Cards (March 4, 2026)
How to cite this article: Fibo Crypto. (2026). Visa Opens Stablecoin Payments in Over 100 Countries via Bridge. Retrieved March 7, 2026 from https://fibo-crypto.fr
