The payments giant will integrate its clearing and settlement data with on-chain lending infrastructure, giving lenders deeper insight into the financial health of digital asset fintech firms and card issuers. Visa currently operates more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs for issuers and program managers, up nearly 200% year over year. Cuy Sheffield, Visa's head of crypto, said: "Stablecoin-linked cards are in a hyper-growth phase."

Visa announced Tuesday morning that, driven by robust market demand for stablecoin-linked cards, it will open up more data resources to blockchain lending firms. The company will connect its clearing and settlement data with on-chain lending infrastructure, helping lenders better assess the operational performance of digital asset fintech companies and card issuers. The initiative aims to accelerate the financing and borrowing process for these fast-growing enterprises.

As more crypto companies roll out consumer card products, Visa has already launched over 160 stablecoin-linked card programs for various issuers and program operators, representing a year-over-year increase of nearly 200%. Cuy Sheffield, head of Visa's crypto business, said in an interview: "Stablecoin-linked cards are growing at an extremely rapid pace." He noted that new institutions, including stablecoin digital banks and various fintech firms, are joining the Visa network and issuing cards every week.

To address surging market demand and corporate funding gaps, Visa is building a partner ecosystem to help new card issuers secure financing through smart contracts and on-chain credit. "We've already launched a pilot program with Credit Coop to establish credit lines for stablecoin card service providers. We believe this represents a positive step toward formally integrating on-chain credit into the Visa network," Sheffield said. According to public information from Credit Coop, the platform has processed a cumulative business volume of $2.7 billion via smart contracts, with zero borrower defaults recorded.

Based on data from Visa's on-chain analytics platform, various lending protocols have issued nearly $700 billion in stablecoin-denominated loans over the past six years. Visa noted that most of this activity has remained within the crypto ecosystem; the new data service will help lenders gain a more complete picture of companies' actual operations and simplify the process of evaluating financing opportunities.

The passage of stablecoin legislation in the United States, establishing a domestic regulatory framework for stablecoins, has significantly accelerated adoption of the technology. Sheffield called the legislation a "major" turning point: "Many banks and global top-tier payment companies have proactively approached us, seeking to integrate stablecoins into existing Visa products or co-develop new products with us."

Visa has previously launched a stablecoin platform that supports clearing and settlement and expands stablecoin card offerings, helping traditional financial institutions acquire digital asset-related capabilities. With this move, Visa joins Mastercard, which has also invested heavily in stablecoins and operates its own proprietary platform. PayPal and Circle each run their own stablecoin platforms as well. Visa's stock has risen approximately 7% so far this year.