Stablecoins are becoming larger and the market is now worth 320 billion USD. However, real payments are still in an early stage. Last year, stablecoins handled a total of 33 trillion USD, but less than 1% was actually used for payments. Visa is now building a bridge to solve this problem.
Visa is nominated for best stablecoin infrastructure in the Tokenization & On-Chain Finance category at the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards 2026.
Annual settlement rate for stablecoin 4.6 billion USD Short program linked to stablecoin 130+ Countries where issuance is possible 50+ Rollout of Bridge cards 18 countries underway Unique stablecoin addresses per month that Visa tracks 47 million
Visa stablecoin infrastructure overview
The nomination shows that the company has moved beyond pilot projects and has now built a larger stablecoin offering within settlement, card issuance, payouts, analytics, consulting, and blockchain governance.
Visa is important for the stablecoin market as it continues to grow. Although the capitalization has reached 320 billion USD, most transactions are institutional.
Visa's own analysis shows that only a small portion of the adjusted stablecoin volume comes from transfers under 250 USD.
This explains Visa's strategy. The company does not see stablecoins as a niche product within crypto. They see them as new payment pathways and infrastructure for business economics.
”We are still in a very early phase with stablecoins. Despite 33 trillion USD in volume, only about 1% is used for real payment purposes. For Visa, stablecoins are a new kind of money. We focus on how they can improve cash flow, especially through cards linked to stablecoins, where the card becomes the link between digital assets and everyday consumption,” says Andranik Mnatsakanyan, EU Stablecoin Practice Lead at Visa.
Making chain money something you can use
At the beginning of 2026, Visa's annual settlement activity with stablecoins was approximately 4.6 billion USD. The company now supports over 130 card programs linked to stablecoins in more than 50 countries.
The development started with USDC settlement and has now expanded into a broader business model. U.S. issuers and acquirers can now settle with Visa on-chain, even over Solana, thanks to participants like Cross River Bank and Lead Bank.
This has brought stablecoins further into Visa's existing network. Stablecoins are now in direct contact with the systems that issuers and fintechs already use, instead of being outside traditional payments.
Visa's strategy with stablecoin cards is particularly important as it solves a practical problem. Stablecoins can move quickly on the blockchain, but users still need a way to use them for everyday purchases.
“The card is now a bridge. Here, they can put their crypto into the wallet, and it becomes real money to spend anywhere,” says Visa's EU Stablecoin Practice Lead.
This is now behind Visa's collaboration with Bridge, the Stripe-owned stablecoin platform.
In March 2026, Bridge-powered Visa cards were available in 18 countries, with plans to be present in over 100 countries by the end of the year.
Building the solution behind the payments
Visa's work with stablecoins is now much more than just cards.
At the end of 2025, the company launched a pilot project where businesses with Visa Direct can send payments that recipients choose to receive in USDC.
The product is suitable for example for payments to creators, freelancers, and international payments where speed and the dollar's stability are important.
At the same time, Visa Consulting & Analytics launched a consulting service for stablecoins, to help banks, fintechs, and merchants plan issuance, storage, and money strategies. This shows that the company sees stablecoins as a technological change, not just a product.
Visa has also entered the governance layer of blockchains. In March 2026, they were selected as a Super Validator on the Canton Network, a private blockchain for large financial institutions. Visa received the highest governance weight of 10, giving them significant influence over upgrades and the direction of the network.
Investment in the future of cash flows
Visa has built infrastructure for banks' own tokens via the Visa Tokenized Asset Platform (VTAP). The platform allows banks to create, burn, and manage their own stablecoins and tokenized products.
That is why Visa stands out in this category. The company has developed the entire chain: settlement, cards, payouts, consulting, validation role, analytics, and token tools.
BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards highlights companies that are building systems for the next step in finance. Visa's nomination showcases their role in making stablecoins a real financial infrastructure that can be used.