Visa and Stripe plan global expansion of stablecoin card issuance product to over 100 countries

Visa and Stripe-owned stablecoin firm Bridge plan to expand their stablecoin-linked card issuance product to over 100 countries. 

The product, first unveiled in 2025, was initially focused on Central and South American countries. The cards are now live in 18 countries, with plans to expand across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East by the end of the year, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

Visa and Bridge’s stablecoin-linked cards enable users to make everyday purchases by drawing from their stablecoin balances in wallets like MetaMask and Phantom. The cards are accepted across Visa’s existing network of 175 million merchant locations.

The move comes amid a period of widespread stablecoin experimentation across the legacy financial services sector, particularly following the passage of the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act in the U.S.

"This expansion of our work with Visa will enable businesses launching their own custom stablecoins to use them seamlessly within their card programs," Zach Abrams, CEO and cofounder of Bridge, said in a statement.

Last year, the companies kicked off a stablecoin settlement pilot to test how Visa issuers and acquirers can use stablecoins for onchain payment settlement. Lead Bank, a pilot participant, is also using Bridge’s stablecoin infrastructure, according to the announcement.

"Visa is committed to meeting businesses where they operate, and increasingly, that's onchain," Visa Head of Crypto Cuy Sheffield said in a statement. "Expanding our work with Bridge gives us one more way to bring the speed, transparency and programmability of stablecoins directly into the settlement process. This milestone gives our partners greater choice in how they move value, and it reinforces Visa's role as a trusted network connecting stablecoins and the global payments ecosystem."

Stripe acquired Bridge for $1.1 billion and has since expanded its crypto-related offerings. In addition to releasing stablecoin issuance tools, the firm is also co-developing the payments-focused Tempo blockchain with Paradigm.

In February, Bridge joined the ranks of crypto-native firms to win conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national bank charter, which enables the firm to custody crypto, issue stablecoins, and manage stablecoin reserves.