Visa and Mesh integrate crypto payments into network without separate cards

Integration of crypto assets into global payment infrastructure

Payment network Visa has signed a partnership with cryptocurrency platform Mesh. This collaboration enables digital asset owners to make purchases at offline locations and online stores using cryptocurrencies and stablecoins directly from their wallets. The technology eliminates the need to convert funds into traditional currency before payment or to use separate plastic cards.

Transaction processing mechanism

The system works as follows: during payment, Visa payment credentials are generated in the background. The buyer simply taps their smartphone to a standard contactless terminal or completes checkout on a website. The merchant receives a standard payment without additional equipment or updates. The Mesh network automatically identifies the source of funds in the user's balance and performs the conversion, making the process invisible to the individual.

For crypto platforms, this means they will not have to launch their own card programmes. It is sufficient to connect to Mesh, which handles client registration and identity verification. Currently, the Mesh network is used by over 200 companies, including Kalshi, Tools for Humanity, and KAST. Exact launch dates and the full list of participants will be announced later.

Statistics and network scale

The Visa network serves over 175 million merchant locations in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. According to company data, the volume of payments through its infrastructure reached $14.2 trillion in the 2025 financial year.

According to Crypto.com data, as of June 2026, the number of cryptocurrency owners worldwide reached 774 million people. However, according to American Banker estimates, by the end of 2025, crypto card turnover was only about $1.5 billion per month, indicating a low share of everyday purchases using such instruments.

Management comments and development context

Mesh CEO Bam Azizi commented on the situation:

«У криптовалюти ніколи не було проблеми з витратами, у неї проблема останньої милі. Досі, щоб її вирішити, доводилося заводити окрему карту» (Cryptocurrency has never had a spending problem; it has a last-mile problem. Until now, solving it required getting a separate card).

This partnership is a logical continuation of Visa's earlier initiatives. In December 2025, the company launched settlements with partner banks in the US in USDC, a dollar-pegged stablecoin. Preliminary tests of such settlements were conducted in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. According to Visa, as of 30 November, the volume of its stablecoin settlements on an annualised basis exceeded $3.5 billion.