Visa, partnering with WeFi to usher in the era of stablecoin daily payments

Global payment network Visa has officially announced a strategic partnership with the de-banking platform WeFi. The two parties plan to jointly explore on-chain banking and stablecoin-based payment use cases in specific markets.

This collaboration is based on Visa’s experience in digital asset payments. The core is to connect on-chain value within the existing regulatory framework to familiar payment experiences. The service will be launched first in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America, with gradual expansion. Further market expansion will depend on local regulatory approval and the establishment of card issuer partnerships.

“Integrating new models into trusted payment experiences”

Mathieu Altwegg, Head of Visa Europe Products and Solutions, said: “Against the backdrop of increasing public interest in digital assets, our focus is on bringing this new model into practical use at scale. By connecting on-chain models with payment experiences people already trust, we can maintain credibility within the current regulatory framework while demonstrating how Visa’s global network interacts with on-chain models.”

Maksym Sakharov, co-founder and Group CEO of WeFi, stated: “People expect cross-border funds to operate seamlessly without unnecessary complexity. This partnership is a way to leverage Visa’s capabilities while continuously developing WeFi’s de-banking services in key regions.”

What is the de-banking model?

WeFi defines itself as an orchestration layer between decentralized finance (DeFi) and regulated payment infrastructure. Unlike traditional crypto card solutions that rely on fully custodial methods, WeFi’s design aims to allow users to access regulated payment rails while retaining control over their assets. This is the so-called de-banking (Deobanking) architecture. By separating asset control from payment execution, users can enjoy the benefits of regulated card issuance and compliance frameworks while using digital assets through card payment networks in daily life. WeFi’s de-banking model has been officially included in CoinMarketCap’s Web3 terminology glossary.

Through this partnership with Visa, connecting blockchain-based value directly to the trusted global payment network of consumers and merchants further strengthens this approach.

Stablecoins: From experiment to infrastructure

This collaboration coincides with Visa’s comprehensive expansion of stablecoin payment infrastructure. In December last year, Visa officially launched USDC stablecoin payment settlement services in the United States, with an annual settlement volume exceeding $3.5 billion. Currently, it operates over 130 stablecoin-related card issuance projects in more than 40 countries.

Industry experts believe that this partnership with WeFi is not just a pilot project but a formal signal that Visa is integrating on-chain banking models into its existing payment infrastructure.

The initial cooperation will focus on regulated stablecoins suitable for daily payments, with plans to expand to more digital assets in the future.

WeFi is a provider of de-banking infrastructure that integrates traditional finance and decentralized finance within a unified compliant environment. The platform aims to enable users to use cryptocurrencies as easily as traditional banking without blockchain knowledge, offering services such as cross-border payments, crypto debit cards, and long-term value storage.