Visa
Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. is one of the world's leading digital payment networks: it facilitates electronic funds transfers across more than 200 countries via its VisaNet network. In fiscal year 2025 (ended 30/09/2025) it handled ~$17T in total volume and processed 257.5 billion transactions on VisaNet (~901 million per day). Its business model is built on transaction processing (authorization, clearing and settlement) for banks, fintechs and merchants, rather than on directly issuing cards or lending. It is listed on the NYSE (ticker V) since 2008 and headquartered in San Francisco.
Data & conditions
| Service type | Card issuing / BaaS |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Interchange share |
| Card networks | Visa |
| Card types | debit, credit, prepaid, virtual, physical |
| Customer type | Enterprise, Fintech, Platforms |
| Processed volume | $17T |
| Fund custody | Self-custody (funds in your control) |
| Supported countries | US, EEA, UK, APAC, LATAM, MENA, AFRICA · 200+ countries |
| OAM Italy registration | No |
| Segment | B2B |
| Funding / solidity | NYSE-listed (V) since its March 2008 IPO. Fiscal year 2025 (ended 30/09/2025): ~$17T total volume (payments and cash), ~$14T payments volume (+8% in constant dollars), 257.5B transactions processed on VisaNet (+10%, ~901M/day), ~5B payment credentials across 175M+ acceptance points, in over 200 countries and territories. |
| MiCA / License status | Not disclosed |
Strengths
- Payment network accepted in over 200 countries with 257.5B transactions processed in FY2025: a global standard with top reliability and scale.
- NYSE-listed, transparent and regulated company underpinning most fintech card programs.
- Self-custody: funds stay in your wallet — the platform cannot touch them.
Weaknesses
- Visa is the network, not the issuer: a consumer gets a Visa card through a bank or fintech, not directly from Visa.
- The economics (fees, cashback, FX) depend on the card issuer, not on Visa.
- No notable sovereignty drawback documented.
Verdict
Score 4.9/5, outstanding profile. In its favour: payment network accepted in over 200 countries with 257.5B transactions processed in FY2025: a global standard with top reliability and scale. The trade-off to weigh: visa is the network, not the issuer: a consumer gets a Visa card through a bank or fintech, not directly from Visa.
On the Sovereignty lens the score is 5.0/5 (outstanding): the strength is fund control (5.0/5).
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
Can I get a card directly from Visa?
No. Visa runs the payment network; Visa cards are issued by banks, fintechs and issuers that are Visa's B2B clients. You go to one of them to get a card.
Does Visa custody my money?
No. Visa processes authorization, clearing and settlement of transactions on the VisaNet network; funds are held by the bank or card issuer, not by Visa.
Sources
- Official service page Descrizione · VisaNet Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
- s1.q4cdn.com Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
- sec.gov Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
- stockanalysis.com Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
Show 1 more source
- tradingview.com Data verified on Jul 17, 2026
Update history
- Commercial-data re-verification (2nd pass): added FY2025 volume (~$17T total volume, ~$14T payments volume +8%), 257.5B processed transactions on VisaNet (+10%), paesi_num 200, NYSE IPO 19/03/2008. Sources: Visa Q4/FY2025 earnings release and SEC Form 10-K.