Visa and Bridge plan stablecoin-linked card expansion to over 100 countries

Visa and the Stripe-owned stablecoin firm Bridge are significantly expanding their stablecoin-linked card issuance product, which was initially focused on Central and South America, to over 100 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East by the end of the year. This expansion utilizes Lead Bank, a participant in Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot, to integrate Bridge's stablecoin infrastructure. Visa's head of crypto, Cuy Sheffield, stated that this move brings the speed and programmability of stablecoins into the settlement process, reinforcing Visa's role in connecting stablecoins to the global payments ecosystem. Bridge cofounder Zach Abrams noted that this partnership allows businesses launching custom stablecoins to integrate them seamlessly into their card programs. Currently, Bridge-enabled stablecoin-linked cards are live in 18 countries, supporting crypto platforms like Phantom and MetaMask.

(Source：CoinDesk)