Visa and Mesh link crypto wallets to 175 million merchants

Visa and Mesh plan to let people pay at Visa merchants directly from crypto and stablecoin balances in participating wallets, potentially removing the need to cash out or get a separate card. In its October 19 announcement, Mesh said Visa’s network covers more than 175 million merchant locations in over 200 countries and territories. A stablecoin is a digital token designed to track the value of a currency, such as the US dollar.

How will payment from a wallet work?

Mesh says it will connect participating wallets and platforms to Visa’s payment network. A Visa payment credential will be set up behind the scenes, so a customer can tap at a contactless terminal or pay online from a balance already in the wallet. The customer will not need to sell, transfer or preload funds first, according to Mesh.

Mesh will handle how each payment is funded and converted across supported crypto, stablecoin and fiat balances. The merchant will receive a standard payment through Visa and, according to the companies, will not need new checkout equipment or changes to its existing process. Cointelegraph’s report also says Mesh will manage customer onboarding and identity checks.

When can people use it?

The companies have not announced a launch date or named the first participating wallets. Mesh said those details, along with supported devices, would come as rollout plans are finalized. The announcement describes a planned service; it does not say that wallet payments are available now.

What does Mesh add for wallet providers?

Mesh says platforms will be able to connect through one integration instead of building and running their own card programs. It will act as program manager, handling onboarding and identity checks, while connecting the wallet balance to Visa’s merchant network.

The reach is large, but the announcement leaves key user details open. It does not list which assets or wallets will be supported at launch, or explain the conversion terms customers will get when they pay. Those details will matter in showing how the service works in practice.

Sources and documents

• October 19 announcement — meshpay.com
• Cointelegraph’s report — cointelegraph.com