Visa and Stripe-owned fintech Bridge are racing to put stablecoin-linked payment cards in the hands of consumers worldwide — aiming to cover more than 100 countries by the end of 2026. The pair has already kicked off an initial rollout across 18 Latin American markets, including Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Chile, with plans to expand into Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East later this year. Why it matters Stablecoins are increasingly functioning like a digital version of cash, and that shift is reshaping everyday spending. Data from OKX’s European card product shows grocery shopping led card activity in January, accounting for more than a quarter of transactions. Restaurants made up 18% and online shopping 13%, signaling consumers are using crypto-linked cards for routine purchases, not just niche crypto buys. Big growth in card volumes Crypto-linked debit and credit cards are seeing explosive growth. Research publisher The Kobeissi Letter reported that cumulative crypto card payment volume hit a record $7.8 billion in May 2026, with monthly volumes up roughly 230% compared with May 2025. The newsletter attributes much of that surge to wider stablecoin access through crypto cards — allowing holders to spend dollar-pegged digital assets the same way they would cash, but on existing payment rails. Payment networks remain central The rollout doesn’t sideline legacy networks. Cards run on established payment systems like Visa and Mastercard, which are actually central to the trend. Visa alone handles about 90% of crypto card transaction volume through partnerships with blockchain-native firms — one example being Jupiter Global, tied to the Jupiter DEX on Solana. OKX’s own stablecoin card for European users, launched in January on Mastercard, offers a close-up look at how these cards are being used in daily life. Bottom line The convergence of stablecoins and mainstream card infrastructure is turning crypto payments into a practical option for everyday spending. With major networks and fintech incumbents facilitating access, the coming expansion from Visa and Bridge could accelerate that transition across hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news