Key Takeaways
- • Visa announced on September 8, 2026, that it is integrating VisaNet settlement data with blockchain-based lending infrastructure to provide working capital access for stablecoin card programs and fintechs outside traditional credit channels.
- • Stablecoin payment volume on Visa's network has surged 200% year-over-year, with more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs currently operating on the platform, demonstrating rapid adoption in the digital payments ecosystem.
- • Credit Coop, a decentralized lending platform using smart contracts, has financed more than $2.5 billion in settlement volume since 2023 through this pilot model, with loan repayments collected directly from incoming settlement funds to minimize manual intervention.
- • The model replaces traditional underwriting requirements—which typically demand significant operating history, proven scale, or manual credit assessment—with automated evaluation using payment data and on-chain transaction records, enabling faster and more accessible financing for smaller or newer payment businesses.
- • Visa's approach combines trusted payment settlement data with blockchain automation to create transparent, programmable liquidity mechanisms that align with the speed and structure of modern commerce.
Summary
Visa has launched an initiative linking VisaNet settlement data with on-chain lending infrastructure, creating a novel financing channel for stablecoin-linked card programs and fintech companies. The announcement, made on September 8, reflects Visa's strategic pivot toward integrating blockchain technology with its core payment settlement network. The model is designed to address a critical gap in traditional lending: accessing working capital without meeting conventional underwriting requirements such as extensive operating history or manual credit review processes.
The infrastructure works by enabling lenders to access a payment business's settlement receivables—funds owed after transactions clear—and combine this data with on-chain transaction records to assess creditworthiness and establish financing terms programmatically. This approach leverages payment history and blockchain-verified transaction data as collateral and credit indicators, replacing labor-intensive underwriting with automated, data-driven decision-making. According to Rubail Birwadker, Visa's global head of growth products and partnerships, the model demonstrates how "trusted payment data and onchain technologies can work together to unlock new forms of liquidity, helping businesses access capital in ways that are more transparent, programmable and aligned to the speed of modern commerce."
Visa has been piloting this approach with Credit Coop, a decentralized lending platform that uses smart contracts to automate funding, collateral management, and loan repayment. Since 2023, Credit Coop has financed more than $2.5 billion in settlement volume using this model. The platform automatically pulls Visa settlement data alongside blockchain records with customer authorization, manages the entire loan lifecycle on-chain, and collects repayments directly from incoming settlement funds. This automation significantly reduces manual intervention and operational friction.
The timing of this initiative aligns with explosive growth in stablecoin payment adoption on Visa's network. Stablecoin payment volume has increased nearly 200% year-over-year, with more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs currently active on the platform. This surge underscores growing institutional and consumer demand for blockchain-based payment solutions, positioning Visa to capitalize on the trend by removing financing barriers that have constrained smaller market participants from scaling stablecoin payment offerings. The model effectively transforms Visa's settlement data into a foundational asset for decentralized credit markets, establishing a new competitive advantage in the fintech and blockchain payment ecosystem.
The infrastructure works by enabling lenders to access a payment business's settlement receivables—funds owed after transactions clear—and combine this data with on-chain transaction records to assess creditworthiness and establish financing terms programmatically. This approach leverages payment history and blockchain-verified transaction data as collateral and credit indicators, replacing labor-intensive underwriting with automated, data-driven decision-making. According to Rubail Birwadker, Visa's global head of growth products and partnerships, the model demonstrates how "trusted payment data and onchain technologies can work together to unlock new forms of liquidity, helping businesses access capital in ways that are more transparent, programmable and aligned to the speed of modern commerce."
Visa has been piloting this approach with Credit Coop, a decentralized lending platform that uses smart contracts to automate funding, collateral management, and loan repayment. Since 2023, Credit Coop has financed more than $2.5 billion in settlement volume using this model. The platform automatically pulls Visa settlement data alongside blockchain records with customer authorization, manages the entire loan lifecycle on-chain, and collects repayments directly from incoming settlement funds. This automation significantly reduces manual intervention and operational friction.
The timing of this initiative aligns with explosive growth in stablecoin payment adoption on Visa's network. Stablecoin payment volume has increased nearly 200% year-over-year, with more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs currently active on the platform. This surge underscores growing institutional and consumer demand for blockchain-based payment solutions, positioning Visa to capitalize on the trend by removing financing barriers that have constrained smaller market participants from scaling stablecoin payment offerings. The model effectively transforms Visa's settlement data into a foundational asset for decentralized credit markets, establishing a new competitive advantage in the fintech and blockchain payment ecosystem.
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