Visa and Bridge are expanding their partnership to scale stablecoin-linked cards to more than 100 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East by the end of the year.

The cards are currently live in 18 countries. The companies first unveiled the global card issuance product in 2025.

Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure platform owned by Stripe, enables businesses and fintech developers to issue Visa cards that allow users to spend stablecoin balances at more than 175 million merchant locations worldwide.

Businesses can also launch their own stablecoins that integrate with these card programs.

Crypto platforms including Phantom and MetaMask are already using the cards to enable millions of customers to spend stablecoins.

“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.”

said Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto, Visa.

Through Bridge’s partnership with Lead Bank, card transactions can also be settled onchain with Visa as part of the company’s stablecoin settlement pilot.

Bridge provides the infrastructure behind Lead Bank’s participation in the pilot.

The pilot is evaluating how stablecoin settlement could expand options for issuers and program managers, improve efficiency through on-chain reconciliation and enable faster fund movement.

“We’re on a multiyear journey to help businesses own their own financial stack.

This expansion of our work with Visa will enable businesses launching their own custom stablecoins to use them seamlessly within their card programs.”

said Zach Abrams, CEO and cofounder of Bridge.

Visa is also assessing potential support for Bridge-issued assets in future payment flows as it explores new settlement pathways within its network.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by brukoik via Freepik