Visa-Bridge Partnership

Visa and Bridge Partner to Make Stablecoins Available for Everyday Purchases

Posted: June 10, 2025 | Updated:

Stablecoins Are Going Mainstream – And the Visa-Bridge Partnership Is Leading the Charge

What began as a niche innovation confined within crypto communities is rapidly gaining traction as a mainstream financial tool. Stablecoins, which are digital assets pegged to the U.S. dollar, are moving beyond trading platforms and into the world of everyday transactions. Now, Visa and Bridge are partnering to accelerate that transition into practical payment solutions.

This partnership enables stablecoin transactions without requiring merchants to adopt any specialized crypto infrastructure. Instead, stablecoin functionality is integrated directly into Visa’s existing global payment network. Consumers top up approved stablecoins like USDC or USDP into a Bridge-enabled wallet or application, then use a Bridge-issued Visa card to make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted.

At the point of sale, Bridge seamlessly deducts the precise stablecoin amount from the user’s on-chain balance, instantly converts it into the local fiat currency, and processes the payment over Visa’s trusted network. The solution will deliver real-time settlement with no disruption to the user or merchant experience. The initiative comes at a pivotal moment, as U.S. lawmakers move closer to passing landmark legislation to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Key Takeaways
  • Visa and Bridge have launched stablecoin-supported Visa cards, allowing users to spend USDC and USDP like regular money in stores and online, starting in six Latin American countries.
  • The partnership removes the need for merchants to adopt crypto tools, using Bridge’s platform to convert stablecoins into local currency at checkout, processed through Visa’s existing payment network.
  • This initiative is part of Visa’s broader plan to integrate digital currencies, aiming to expand stablecoin payments globally as interest grows among banks, fintechs, and regulators.
  • For users and businesses, the cards offer lower fees and faster access to funds, especially in regions with inflation, limited banking access, or high remittance costs.

Visa-Bridge Partnership To Launch Stablecoin Cards to Bring Digital Dollars into Everyday Spending

Visa, the global payments company, has taken another step toward including digital currencies in traditional finance. In April 2025, Visa partnered with Bridge, a stablecoin-focused platform owned by Stripe, to launch stablecoin-supported Visa cards. These new cards let people use stablecoins such as USDC (USD Coin) and USDP (Pax Dollar) for regular purchases. The product is now available in six Latin American countries: Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. There are plans to expand to other regions, including Europe, Africa, and Asia, later this year.

This move is not just another crypto announcement. It is part of a wider strategy from Visa to make digital assets usable in the real world. It also reflects growing interest from banks, fintechs, and regulators in how stablecoins could improve payments, especially in places where access to dollars or banking services is limited.

Stablecoin Cards

Stablecoins are digital currencies that are tied to the value of a real-world asset, usually the U.S. dollar. They are designed to be less volatile than cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. But until now, most people used stablecoins mainly for trading on crypto exchanges or sending money across borders. Spending them in stores or online was difficult. Merchants didn’t accept them directly, and users had to go through complex steps to convert stablecoins into regular money.

That’s what this Visa-Bridge partnership is trying to change. The goal is to make stablecoins work like regular money at checkout, without requiring special wallets or merchant tools. The new stablecoin Visa cards work just like any other debit or prepaid card. A user loads stablecoins into a digital wallet linked to the card. When they make a purchase, Bridge converts the exact amount of stablecoin needed into the local currency and sends it through Visa’s network. The merchant gets paid in their usual currency. From the merchant’s point of view, it’s just another Visa transaction.

The product is built to be easy for both users and developers. Developers only need to use a single API (application programming interface) from Bridge to launch and manage their card programs. Bridge handles the background tasks like monitoring wallet balances, making currency swaps, managing compliance rules, and working with banks. It also partners with Lead Bank to ensure the cards meet financial regulations like anti-money laundering rules.

For users, the experience is simple. They use their stablecoins to shop wherever Visa is accepted – over 150 million places worldwide. They don’t need to cash out or move funds through a bank first. This reduces transaction costs and saves time. It also gives users more control over how they hold and spend their money, especially in regions where banking systems are unstable or inflation is high.

Jack Forestell, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Visa, said that the company is focused on integrating stablecoins into its existing network and products in a secure and straightforward way. He explained that partnering with Bridge is a major step toward making stablecoins practical for daily use. The goal is to give people more control over how they manage and spend their money by adding stablecoins as a real payment option alongside traditional currencies.

Latin America was chosen for the launch because the need is especially clear there. Many people in these countries struggle with inflation and a lack of access to stable currencies. At the same time, smartphone use is widespread, and many people rely on digital wallets. Stablecoins offer a way to store value more safely and spend money across borders or in their own country without the usual banking fees. According to the World Bank, remittance fees in Latin America can reach 5% or more. Stablecoins cut down those costs and speed up the process.

Visa and Bridge say they’re starting in these six Latin American markets but will expand soon. Regions in Africa and Southeast Asia face similar challenges. Europe is also a target, especially as regulations like the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework take shape. This gives companies clearer rules to follow, which makes it easier to offer new products.

Stablecoins

From Visa’s point of view, this partnership fits into a larger strategy. Over the past two years, the company has been exploring how to connect digital currencies with its existing network. Visa has already processed more than $200 million in stablecoin-based transactions. It has tested stablecoin settlement on public blockchains like Ethereum and partnered with crypto firms to experiment with cross-border payments.

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney has said that stablecoins are still a small part of Visa’s overall volume, but he sees growth potential. The company wants to be ready if digital currencies become more widely used. Instead of treating stablecoins as a threat to the traditional system, Visa is trying to make them part of its service offerings.

Bridge, on the other hand, is focused on being the main technology layer for stablecoin payments. It lets developers build and customize spending products tied to stablecoins. Stripe, the parent company of Bridge, acquired it for around $1.1 billion earlier this year. That deal shows that large financial technology firms are taking stablecoin infrastructure seriously. Stripe plans to use Bridge’s tools to offer stablecoin payments to its business customers, many of whom are developers, marketplaces, and internet companies.

By joining with Visa, Bridge gets access to a global card network and established bank relationships. This makes it easier for developers using Bridge to launch stablecoin cards that meet local rules in different countries. Bridge takes care of complex steps like handling multiple blockchain networks, swapping currencies at the time of transaction, and managing real-time spending limits or fraud controls.

Both companies benefit. Visa adds a new kind of money to its network and keeps up with fintech competitors like PayPal, Mastercard, and Revolut, who are also rolling out stablecoin features. Bridge gets a chance to scale faster by tapping into Visa’s merchant base and international infrastructure.

From a business point of view, this is also a chance to build new revenue streams. Bridge and its partners can earn from card fees, conversion spreads, and premium developer tools. Visa adds more volume to its network and positions itself as a leader in new payment methods.

For users, the main benefits are lower costs, more flexibility, and access to dollar-like value even in unstable economies. If someone receives a paycheck or a remittance in USDC, they no longer need to sell it, wait days, or pay high fees to use it for groceries or a taxi. They can spend it instantly using the Visa card, with Bridge handling everything in the background.

For businesses, this opens the door to more efficient cross-border payments. A company in Colombia could pay a freelancer in Mexico in USDC, and the freelancer could spend the money directly without going through a bank or facing local currency conversion risks.

There are still challenges. Stablecoin regulations vary across countries. Some governments are cautious, while others are working on laws to support digital currencies. The success of this initiative will depend partly on how quickly clear and consistent rules emerge. There are also risks around stablecoin issuers and whether their reserves are fully backed and secure.

But the direction is clear. The financial industry is moving toward a model where traditional networks like Visa handle the user experience, while new tools like Bridge manage the digital asset layer. This combination makes it possible to add stablecoins to daily life without asking users or merchants to change how they operate.

This development also sets the stage for more programmable finance. Once stablecoins can be spent like regular money, developers can build new features into payments. For example, loyalty points could be given in tokens, spending limits could be set based on location or time of day, and peer-to-peer transfers could be completed instantly with on-chain records.

Visa’s work in this area is part of its broader efforts to prepare for the next phase of digital payments. The company has invested in areas like AI-driven payments, digital identity, and blockchain-based settlements. Adding stablecoins to its products is one part of that plan.

In the end, the Visa and Bridge partnership is a practical step that helps bring stablecoins into real-world use. It simplifies the way people spend digital dollars, especially in places that need better financial tools. It also shows how traditional and digital finance can work together, not by replacing one another, but by using the strengths of both.

As stablecoins become more regulated and accepted, more companies will offer products like this. For now, Visa and Bridge have set a new standard. Instead of keeping stablecoins locked in the world of crypto trading, they are helping turn them into a useful form of money, one that people can use anywhere they see the Visa logo.

About Visa

About Visa

Visa Inc., a global payments technology company based in San Francisco, began operations in 1958 under the name BankAmericard and was later rebranded to Visa in 1976. Today, its VisaNet network connects over 15,000 financial institutions with hundreds of millions of merchants across more than 200 countries and territories. In FY24, Visa processed close to 234 billion transactions, averaging around 639 million daily, and handled payment volumes worth $13.2 trillion.

This translates to $35.9 billion in net revenue and $9.73 in GAAP EPS. The company’s multi-rail model includes services such as credit, debit, tap-to-pay, tokenization, account-to-account transfers, and fraud analytics, all backed by heavy investments in AI and cybersecurity.

The positive growth has continued into FY25, with Q2 net revenue rising 9% year-on-year to $9.6 billion, supported by 8% growth in payment volumes and stronger cross-border activity. Visa has now raised its full-year guidance, expecting low double-digit growth, driven by increased momentum in B2B payments, remittances, and value-added services.

The company also enhances its capabilities through acquisitions, including the recent $1 billion purchase of Brazilian banking tech firm Pismo, adding to previous deals with Tink and Currencycloud. Since 2010, Visa has completed 19 such transactions to stay competitive as the shift from cash to digital payments accelerates globally.

About Bridge

About Bridge

Bridge, now operating as Bridge by Stripe, was originally founded in 2022 by ex-Coinbase and Square professionals Zach Abrams (CEO) and Sean Yu (CTO) as a stablecoin infrastructure firm. The company offers a single API layer enabling businesses to issue, store, manage, and spend dollar- and euro-backed stablecoins, while Bridge takes care of technical layers like on-chain security, compliance, and gas fees.

Its offerings include cross-border payouts, wallet setup, white-label card issuing, and treasury functions, giving fintechs and enterprises a low-cost, round-the-clock alternative to traditional systems like SWIFT. Within just 18 months of launching, Bridge has onboarded hundreds of customers across Latin America, Africa, and Europe, scaling to over $5 billion in annual payment volume, and serving a wide range of clients, including aid agencies and digital platforms.

Stripe acquired Bridge in October 2024 for around $1.1 billion, closing the deal in February 2025, making it the largest acquisition in Stripe’s history. Now part of Stripe’s fintech product suite alongside Atlas and Issuing, Bridge supports new features like multi-currency stable-coin accounts and AI-driven treasury tools.

Early integrations have already led to key collaborations, such as Visa’s pilot of stable-coin debit cards in six Latin American countries and new payout infrastructure for Web3 creators and SaaS firms. Stripe sees this move as a forward-looking step to stay competitive in the evolving stable-coin space, especially as dollar-backed coins start playing a larger role in B2B and cross-border payments.

Conclusion

The Visa and Bridge partnership marks a shift in how digital currencies, particularly stablecoins, can be used in everyday life. By linking stablecoin wallets to Visa’s global payment network, this collaboration removes long-standing barriers to spending digital dollars in real-world settings.

It’s a move that supports users in regions with limited financial access, gives businesses new payment options, and helps Visa stay competitive in a changing financial landscape. While regulatory clarity is still evolving, this effort sets a foundation for stablecoins to function more like conventional money, without requiring major changes from users or merchants.

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