Visa Taps Mesh to Let Wallets Spend Crypto at 175M Merchants

Visa has partnered with crypto payments network Mesh to let consumers spend cryptocurrency and stablecoin balances directly from their wallets at more than 175 million merchant locations across over 200 countries and territories, Mesh announced Monday.

The deal connects digital wallets to Visa's global payment network without requiring users to move funds to a bank account or carry a separate crypto card. Merchants keep their existing checkout systems and receive payments through Visa's rails as they do today.

Mesh will handle the operational core of the integration. The company will manage transaction funding and conversion between cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and fiat currencies, and Visa payment credentials will be provisioned directly through participating wallet apps. Mesh also takes on customer onboarding and Know Your Customer requirements — the compliance layer that has historically slowed wallet-to-merchant spending.

What changes for crypto holders?

The model removes two frictions that have kept crypto balances largely outside retail payments. Users no longer need to pre-fund a card product or cash out through a bank account before spending. And because merchants see a standard Visa transaction, adoption doesn't depend on individual retailers changing anything on their end.

The open questions are timing and distribution. Mesh said participating wallets, supported devices and launch dates will be announced as rollout plans are finalized — so the 175 million-merchant figure represents theoretical reach, not live acceptance on day one. Wallet partners will effectively decide how quickly the capability reaches users.

A pattern, not a one-off

The Visa partnership extends a run of infrastructure deals for Mesh. In September, Mesh integrated with Bybit Pay, letting users spend directly from their exchange balances on supported platforms. In January, the company raised $75 million in a round led by Dragonfly that valued Mesh at $1 billion.

For Visa, the arrangement continues its push into stablecoin and blockchain-adjacent payments without exposing its merchant network to new settlement risk — conversion to fiat happens on Mesh's side before value hits Visa's rails.

Participating wallets, device support and launch dates are expected to be disclosed as Mesh finalizes rollout plans with partners.