Visa and Bridge Are Expanding Stablecoin Cards to 100+ Countries

The partnership between Visa and Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure company acquired by Stripe, is expanding its stablecoin-linked card program from 18 countries to over 100 by the end of 2026. This expansion covers regions including Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. The cards leverage Visa's extensive merchant network, allowing users to spend cryptocurrencies anywhere Visa is accepted.

From Pilot to Global Rollout

Initially launched in April 2025 in Latin American markets like Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Chile, the program targeted regions with significant demand for dollar-denominated stablecoins due to currency instability. Following this initial phase, the program expanded to include countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the United States, signaling a shift from testing to full-scale execution.

Bridge's Infrastructure and Integration

Bridge, acquired by Stripe for $1.1 billion in early 2025, provides the core technology enabling these stablecoin-backed Visa cards. Its single API allows fintech developers and wallet providers to issue cards globally without building separate financial infrastructure for each region, with integration times as short as four weeks. Major non-custodial crypto wallets like MetaMask and Phantom already utilize Bridge's solution, enabling users to spend stablecoin balances directly from their self-custody wallets for everyday purchases. Bridge manages the complexities of gas fees, on-chain security, and real-time currency conversion at the point of sale.

Bridge also offers an "Open Issuance" platform that enables businesses to launch custom stablecoins and embed them into branded card programs, allowing companies to control their financial stack and earn interchange revenue.

On-Chain Settlement with Solana

A significant technical development is Visa's testing of direct on-chain settlement using stablecoins on the Solana blockchain, in partnership with Lead Bank, the card-issuing bank. This new model bypasses the previous step of converting stablecoins to fiat at the point of sale. The goals of this on-chain settlement are to facilitate faster fund movement, reduce operational costs, and enhance transaction transparency. This marks an experimental step for Visa into public blockchain settlement.

Regulatory Environment and Market Parallels

The timing of this expansion coincides with the recent passage of the GENIUS Act in the U.S., which provides clearer federal regulations for stablecoin issuance and usage. This reduction in regulatory ambiguity is a key factor for companies developing global stablecoin products. Competitors like Mastercard are also advancing in this space, having enabled stablecoin card spending in the U.S. through its own MetaMask integration, indicating parallel strategies between major payment networks.

Future Outlook and Strategic Positioning

While the immediate success of crypto cards is evident, particularly in regions where traditional finance is lacking, the long-term impact hinges on whether these programs fundamentally change how money moves at scale or merely add a new layer to existing infrastructure. Bridge's current model still relies on Visa's merchant network, Lead Bank's licensing, and fiat offramps. The Solana settlement pilot represents a potential future direction, but the infrastructure is still in development. For Stripe, the acquisition of Bridge is a strategic move to position itself for a future where stablecoins are a standard for cross-border transactions, leveraging Visa's distribution and extensive merchant network to explore this evolving market.