Visa and Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure platform under Stripe’s umbrella, have recently announced an expansion of their global stablecoin-linked card issuance program. The collaboration was first publicly disclosed in 2025.
The enhanced partnership now includes on-chain settlement of card transactions via Visa, facilitated through Bridge’s collaboration with Lead Bank.
Bridge-enabled stablecoin-linked Visa cards are presently operational in 18 countries and aim to broaden their reach across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East by year-end. These cards enable consumers to make purchases from stablecoin balances at Visa’s extensive merchant network of over 175 million locations. Major crypto platforms such as Phantom and MetaMask are already using Bridge’s infrastructure to provide stablecoin-linked card services to their user base.
On-chain settlement and the stablecoin pilot
A core component of the expanded initiative is Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot, which allows Visa issuers and acquirers—including those issuing Bridge-enabled cards—to settle transactions with Visa using stablecoins over supported blockchain networks. Lead Bank, a participant in this settlement pilot and beneficiary of Bridge’s stablecoin infrastructure, plays a crucial role.
This pilot aims to explore the potential for expanding settlement options for issuers and programme managers, assess operational benefits from on-chain reconciliation, and investigate how stablecoin infrastructure can streamline interactions for institutional stakeholders.
Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto at Visa, expressed that this expansion integrates the efficiency, transparency, and programmability of stablecoins into the settlement process, thereby solidifying Visa’s position as a network bridge between stablecoins and the global payments ecosystem.
Zach Abrams, CEO and co-founder of Bridge, sees this collaboration as part of a long-term strategy to assist businesses in building their own financial infrastructure. He noted that this expansion will allow companies launching custom stablecoins to incorporate them into their card programs.
Evaluation of Bridge-issued assets
Visa has also signaled its intention to evaluate the potential integration of Bridge-issued assets into future payment flows, with a focus on how these assets could augment Visa’s global network and offer an additional settlement path for partners. However, no specific timeline for this phase has been disclosed.
