Visa and Bridge, a Stripe-owned startup, have launched a new initiative in May 2025 to enable stablecoin payments across six Latin American countries, including Mexico and Argentina. This collaboration aims to integrate cryptocurrency into mainstream commerce by allowing users to make everyday purchases with stablecoins.
The expansion leverages the increasing popularity of stablecoins due to their ease of transfer. A freelancer in Colombia, for example, can receive wages in USD-pegged stablecoins and use a Visa card for purchases. Merchants will receive payments in their local currency, similar to standard Visa transactions.
Bridge, acquired by Stripe in February 2025 for $1.1 billion, provides the technology for this integration. The initial efforts will focus on USDC, with plans to support additional stablecoins and blockchains in the future. This move allows cardholders to make purchases at over 150 million merchant locations that accept Visa.