1 August 2026
Cryptocurrencies Could Run Directly On Visa Network
Visa has already been in cryptocurrency via wallet and platform partnerships; digital asset companies BlockFi, Fold, and Crypto.com already issue Visa-branded products.
Recently, the CEO of Visa, Alfred Kelly, stated that cryptocurrencies could run directly on the Visa network in the future.
At Visa’s fiscal Q1 2021 earnings through The Motley Fool, Kelly grabs the chance in his introductory statement to specifically touch on crypto and the opportunity he sees in the space. He highlighted how Visa is the largest financial services brand in the industry via its partnerships with 35 platforms and wallets.
“In this space, we see ways that we can add differentiated value to the ecosystem,” said Kelly. “And we believe that we are uniquely positioned to help make cryptocurrencies more safe, useful, and applicable for payments through our global presence, our partnership approach, and our trusted brand.”
As per Kelly, the industry is split between two types of coins: Bitcoin and other variants of “digital gold” that is “predominantly held as assets,” and then stablecoins and fiat-backed coins such as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
As of now, Visa believes to continue its partnerships and provide users a way to cash out of their assets as desired, using their Visa credentials at some 70 million worldwide merchants.
“These are an emerging payments innovation that could have the potential to be used for global commerce, much like any other fiat currency,” said Kelly. “We think of digital currencies running on public blockchains as additional networks just like RTP or ACH networks, so we see them as part of our network of networks strategy. It goes without saying, to the extent a specific digital currency becomes a recognized means of exchange, there's no reason why we cannot add it to our network, which already supports over 160 currencies today.”
Back in November, Kelly said a statement that Visa “could see digital currencies running on the Visa network on a more regular basis,” albeit “a number of years out.”
Previously, Visa had claimed that they don’t want to play favorites with cryptocurrencies, but rather support coins and providers more broadly.
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