Visa and Mastercard establish direct partnerships with crypto firms

A prediction from 2014 about traditional payment companies collaborating with Bitcoin startups is increasingly reflected in the payments market of 2026. Visa and Mastercard now work directly with crypto firms on cards, settlement, stablecoins, and payments. BitPay continues to expand its regulated crypto payment services over a decade after joining the payments industry. Former Electronic Transactions Association CEO Jason Oxman noted in 2014 that payment companies would adapt to consumer and merchant preferences, emphasizing the industry's role in facilitating electronic transactions. Since then, the ETA has evolved, with Jodie Kelley becoming CEO in 2019 and establishing a Digital Assets committee. Visa and Stripe-owned Bridge announced plans to expand stablecoin-linked Visa cards to over 100 countries by the end of 2026, allowing users to spend stablecoin balances across Visa's network. Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot has expanded to nine blockchains, achieving a $7 billion annualized settlement rate. Mastercard's Crypto Partner Program now includes over 100 crypto companies and financial institutions, with Alchemy Pay joining to explore links between fiat payments and onchain commerce. The focus has shifted from Bitcoin to stablecoins, with Visa, Mastercard, and Coinbase supporting the Open USD stablecoin initiative to develop payment infrastructure for dollar-linked digital assets. BitPay has secured MiCA authorization in the Netherlands, enabling regulated crypto and stablecoin services across eligible EU markets. Partnerships between traditional payment networks and crypto companies have evolved from isolated experiments to integrated systems.

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