Visa and the Mesh infrastructure platform have sealed a strategic alliance to enable direct payments with cryptocurrencies and stablecoins at more than 175 million merchants globally, eliminating the need to request physical cards or transfer balances to traditional bank accounts.
This integration aims to reduce friction at the point of sale by connecting digital custody applications directly with commercial terminals worldwide without disrupting existing payment systems.
The direct payments infrastructure between Mesh and Visa
The electronic payments giant Visa and the Mesh network have partnered to enable cryptocurrency payments at 175 million merchants. distributed in more than 200 countries and territories. Through this agreement, consumers using compatible digital wallets will be able to pay for physical and digital purchases using their crypto and stablecoin balances without requiring an additional bank card or resorting to prior transfers to current accounts.
The system operates transparently for merchants. Businesses will receive their usual settlements through Visa's existing infrastructure, leaving their point-of-sale terminals and electronic payment gateways untouched. This eliminates one of the biggest historical operational barriers: the need for merchants to adapt their software to directly accept digital assets.
How balance settlement and conversion work
Within this technical architecture, Mesh acts as the financial connectivity bridge. The company manages the funding for each transaction and executes the immediate conversion between the user's cryptocurrencies or stablecoins and the fiat currencies required by the merchant. Visa payment credentials are provisioned natively in participating wallet applications.
Mesh also handles user registration and Know Your Customer (KYC) verification procedures. This modular approach allows wallet providers to integrate real-world spending capabilities without the burden of issuing their own credit cards or managing traditional acquiring gateways.
Corporate growth and institutional context
This step further solidifies Mesh's recent trajectory in the payments segment. In January, the company completed a $75 million funding round led by Dragonfly, reaching a valuation of $1.000 billion. Previously, in September, the firm integrated its technology to enable the direct use of balances on merchant platforms, allowing users to move liquidity more efficiently.
The expansion to a network of over 175 million payment points places Mesh's infrastructure on a massive scale. As participating wallets and official launch dates are defined, the ability to use digital assets for everyday purchases will add a technical alternative to conventional crypto debit card models.
The regulatory impact and outlook in Europe under MiCA
Within the European Union, the deployment of solutions involving stablecoins and direct payments must strictly adhere to the MiCA Regulation framework. EU regulations impose stringent guidelines on issuers of asset-backed tokens and electronic money tokens, ensuring audited reserves and consumer protection.
For users in Spain and the rest of Europe, having platforms regulated by entities like the CNMV is key to interacting with this ecosystem. Gaining in-depth knowledge of each project's characteristics through educational resources such as Bit2Me Academy It allows us to understand how the convergence between traditional banking and virtual assets is governed by audited and transparent standards.
FAQ
When will in-store payments with wallets via Mesh be available?
Mesh has indicated that participating portfolio applications, compatible devices, and the official rollout schedule will be announced progressively as technical integration plans with the various providers are completed.
Do businesses need to change their payment terminals?
No. The infrastructure leverages Visa's existing network at more than 175 million establishments, so merchants receive payments in local currency without modifying their payment systems or installing additional software.
What role do stablecoins play in this system?
Stablecoins allow you to maintain a digital balance with less volatility that is converted to traditional currencies at the exact moment of purchase, facilitating a user experience identical to that of a conventional card payment.
The collaboration between Visa and Mesh represents a significant step forward in the functional integration of traditional finance and digital assets, offering a convenient way to settle transactions directly from wallets without complex intermediaries.
As regulatory frameworks provide greater legal certainty, these technical solutions solidify the role of cryptocurrencies as viable tools for the everyday exchange of value on a global scale.
Investing in cryptoassets is not fully regulated, may not be suitable for retail investors due to high volatility and there is a risk of losing all invested amounts.
Generative artificial intelligence tools were used to create this article.
