Cryptoupdated 1h ago2 min read
Visa And Mesh Let Crypto Wallet Users Spend Stablecoin Balances At 175 Million Merchants
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Mesh and Visa enable direct wallet-based crypto spending at 175 million merchants globally. No separate crypto card required; funding and conversion triggered at transaction.
16 outlets told this the same way.
Visa, Mesh target 175M
Visa and Mesh announced a partnership to let consumers spend cryptocurrency and stablecoin balances at more than 175 million point-of-sale locations without needing a separate crypto card or manually converting funds to cash. Mesh will provision a Visa payment credential behind the scenes so customers can pay at contactless terminals or complete online checkouts, while Mesh coordinates funding and conversion during each transaction. Visa’s global payments network spans more than 175 million merchant locations across over 200 countries and territories, and Mesh said the merchant receives conventional payments through Visa’s existing infrastructure.
Mesh chief executive and co-founder Bam Azizi said, "Crypto never had a spending problem — it has a last-mile problem, and until now, closing it meant getting a separate card." Visa’s global head of growth Rubail Birwadker said, "Consumers increasingly expect to use their money however and wherever they choose," framing the deal as an extension of how consumers move money.
How the model works
Mesh said the arrangement removes the need for customers to transfer funds to bank accounts, preload payment cards, or manually convert digital assets before making purchases. Mesh will handle the funding and conversion required to complete each transaction, while merchants continue receiving payments through Visa’s existing infrastructure rather than needing to accept or hold cryptocurrencies directly. Mesh described the integration as a way to connect digital wallets to Visa’s payment infrastructure so users can pay in stores or online without transferring funds to a bank account or obtaining a separate crypto card.
Mesh said it will act as the program manager, handling customer onboarding and know-your-customer procedures, and it said wallet providers can integrate with Mesh instead of developing their own card issuance and payment infrastructure. Mesh also said its network already serves more than 200 enterprises and connects hundreds of wallets, exchanges and financial platforms, including partners such as Kalshi, Tools for Humanity, Félix Pago, Majority and KAST.
Rollout and what’s at stake
Visa and Mesh have not announced an initial launch date, supported devices, or participating wallet platforms, and they said initial availability details will be announced as rollout details are finalized. Mesh said the service will rely on a Visa payment credential provisioned behind the scenes, but the sources also note that the companies have not disclosed which cryptocurrencies or stablecoins will be eligible. Visa reported in September that its stablecoin settlement activity had exceeded a $20 billion annualized run rate, and the sources say Visa counted more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs operating worldwide during its fiscal second quarter of 2026.
Mesh’s Series C financing provides context for its push, because the sources say Mesh secured $75 million in Series C financing in January 2026 and reached unicorn status. The partnership’s commercial test will depend on whether wallet providers activate the feature and whether consumers can use it at Visa-accepting merchants, because the sources repeatedly emphasize that the practical reach is tied to rollout details rather than the acceptance footprint alone.