Taking Stablecoins Mainstream: Visa and Bridge Join Forces for Global Adoption
Visa and Bridge Team Up to Facilitate Stablecoin Usage for Regular Shopping Transactions
In a game-changing move, Visa and Bridge have teamed up to revolutionize the world of dollar-pegged stablecoins, turning them from niche trading assets into everyday payment instruments. Instead of requiring merchants to adopt specialized crypto infrastructure, this partnership infuses stablecoin functionality into Visa's existing payment networks [1].
The collaboration kicks off in six Latin American countries (Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile) this year, with Europe, Africa, and Asia slated for late 2025 [1]. This means users can now transact USDC, USDP, and other approved stablecoins at over 150 million Visa-accepting merchant locations worldwide [1].
How It Works Under the Hood
Bridge, the key player in this partnership, provides a unified API and backend layer that simplifies blockchain complexities [1][5]. Developers connect once to Bridge to issue stablecoin-backed Visa cards across various countries, without further API work [1]. Every transaction involves instant conversion of the stablecoin amount into the merchant's local fiat currency, handled seamlessly by Bridge, with settlement carried out over Visa's global network in real-time [1].
Bridge also maintains fiat liquidity pools and partners with leading market makers to ensure conversions occur at minimal slippage [1]. For merchants, the experience remains the same as conventional Visa transactions, with no difference in timing, fees, or reporting [1].
Advantages for Developers
Bridge's platform streamlines stablecoin card deployment and scaling, offering geo-agnostic rollout, programmable controls, and compliance as a service [1]. This "build once, deploy everywhere" model enables both startups and incumbents to focus on enhancing user experiences, loyalty programs, and market growth, rather than piecing together fragmented payment systems [1].
Consumer Experience
From the user's perspective, payments feel familiar, with instant checkout, digital wallet integration, self-custody of funds until spend, and on-chain audit trails [1][4]. Some pilot programs even layer in tokenized loyalty rewards, merging DeFi incentives with everyday spending habits for added engagement [3].
Focus on Latin America, with Global Ambitions
Latin America's high remittance costs, inflationary pressures, and underbanked populations make it an ideal testing ground for stablecoins [2]. The partnership aims to reduce costly remittance corridor fees, cater to mobile-first demographics, and offer a refuge for residents in countries experiencing rapid currency depreciation [2]. By demonstrating its value in these markets, Visa and Bridge can refine compliance workflows, liquidity provisioning, and user interfaces for subsequent expansions into Europe, Asia, and Africa [2].
Early Adoption Metrics and Projections
At launch, the initial six Latin American markets encompass an estimated 60 million potential underbanked and remittance-focused users [3]. Visa aims to capture 0.5 percent of its total 232 billion 2023 transaction volume-approximately 1.16 billion stablecoin transactions-by Q4 2025 [3]. Bridge's support for various stablecoin liquidity pools and market-maker partners strives to keep slippage below 0.5 percent on conversions [3]. Pilot programs project monthly stablecoin transaction volume exceeding $100 million within the first year, with preliminary data indicating cost savings of up to 30 percent versus traditional cross-border foreign exchange rails in Latin America [3].
More News: *Stablecoin Volume Outpaces Traditional Payment Giants (Visa & Mastercard)*
[1] Visa Partners with Bridge to Launch Stablecoin-Backed Visa Cards. (2025, April 1). Cointelegraph.[2] Taproot: The New Beginnings for Bitcoin Transactions. (n.d.). ngmi.com.[3] Brennan, K. (2023, March 28). Stablecoins Tap into Latin America's Digital Payments Boom. Fortune.[4] What You Need to Know About Cross-Border Payments to Latin America. (2023, September 12). American Banker.[5] Visa and Bridge Partner to Bring Stablecoins to Mainstream Payments. (2025, April 1). Finance Magnates.
- The collaboration between Visa and Bridge aims to turn stablecoins from trading assets into everyday payment instruments.
- The partnership infuses stablecoin functionality into Visa's existing payment networks, bypassing the need for merchants to adopt specialized crypto infrastructure.
- The first phase of the collaboration will launch in six Latin American countries this year, with subsequent rollouts in Europe, Africa, and Asia planned for late 2025.
- Developers can connect once to Bridge's unified API to issue stablecoin-backed Visa cards across various countries, simplifying blockchain complexities.
- Every transaction involves instant conversion of the stablecoin amount into the merchant's local fiat currency, handled seamlessly by Bridge.
- Bridge maintains fiat liquidity pools and partners with leading market makers to ensure conversions occur at minimal slippage.
- For merchants, the experience remains the same as conventional Visa transactions, with no differences in timing, fees, or reporting.
- Bridge's platform offers geo-agnostic rollout, programmable controls, and compliance as a service, enabling developers to focus on enhancing user experiences, loyalty programs, and market growth.
- From the user's perspective, payments feel familiar with instant checkout, digital wallet integration, self-custody of funds until spend, and on-chain audit trails.
- Some pilot programs layer in tokenized loyalty rewards, merging DeFi incentives with everyday spending habits for added engagement.
- The partnership aims to reduce costly remittance corridor fees, cater to mobile-first demographics, and offer a refuge for residents in countries experiencing rapid currency depreciation.
- Visa targets capturing 0.5 percent of its total 2023 transaction volume through stablecoin transactions by Q4 2025, and projects monthly stablecoin transaction volume exceeding $100 million within the first year, with cost savings of up to 30 percent versus traditional cross-border foreign exchange rails in Latin America.
