Key Highlights
- Visa and WeFi are collaborating to test stablecoin payments using blockchain and Visa’s global network.
- Users will use self-custody wallets, meaning they keep full control of their crypto while still being able to spend it like normal money.
- The project will roll out in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, focusing on making crypto payments simple.
Visa, a payment system firm, is partnering up with WeFi, an on-chain banking firm co-founded by Reeve Collins, the former CEO of Tether, to test how stablecoin payments can work in everyday spending while users still keep control of their digital assets.
According to the announcement, the collaboration will initially focus on selected regions, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with a phased rollout depending on rules and approvals in each country.
Self-custody wallets to give users control
The system is built around self-custody wallets, meaning users hold their own crypto instead of storing it on centralized exchanges. Users will maintain their private keys and access to funds while still being able to spend assets through Visa’s payment network.
The collaboration will first explore how WeFi’s on-chain banking infrastructure works with Visa’s global payment system to support stablecoin transactions in real-world spending. The goal is to make digital asset payments function in a way that feels familiar, using existing payment experiences while running on blockchain systems in the background.
Visa’s Head of Product & Solutions in Europe, Mathieu Altwegg, commented on the development, stating, “As interest in digital assets grows, our focus is on making these new models practical at scale, by connecting them to payment experiences people already trust.”
WeFi CEO Maksym Sakharov added that stablecoins are not treated as separate tools but are built directly into the payment system. He said users do not need to manually convert funds because settlement happens automatically behind the scenes. According to him, this makes payments feel the same as normal card transactions, even though blockchain is used underneath.
“People expect money to work seamlessly across borders, without unnecessary complexity. We see this partnership as a way to work with Visa’s capabilities as we continue to develop WeFi’s deobanking offering across key regions,” he said.
Broader context
This partnership adds to the trends of payment firms working with crypto companies. Visa has previously worked with digital asset firms to expand stablecoin-linked card services across multiple countries. Last month, the company partnered with Berige to expand the card service reach to over 100 countries before the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, WeFi describes its platform as a bridge that connects decentralized finance with regulated payment networks. Unlike fully custodial crypto card services, WeFi uses a “deobanking” model where users decide how their assets are held while still accessing regulated payment systems. This setup is designed to balance user control with compliance and card acceptance standards used globally.
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