Visa is Shaping the Stablecoin Playbook: Disrupting the Disruption

Visa Inc. V just launched a new global Stablecoins Advisory Practice through its Visa Consulting & Analytics division to help banks, fintechs, merchants and other businesses navigate the fast-growing world of stablecoins. This is a consulting and strategy service that gives clients tailored guidance on market fit, technology implementation, go-to-market planning and regulatory trends for stablecoin initiatives. It also includes training programs and a new Visa University course aimed at deepening understanding of digital money and blockchain-based payment systems.

Visa isn’t fighting the disruptive force; it is becoming the enabler. It pointed out that the global stablecoin market has surpassed a $250 billion capitalization, and its own stablecoin settlement volume has accelerated to a $3.5 billion annualized run rate as of Nov. 30. Participants in the advisory program include institutions such as Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar and Pathward, which used the practice to evaluate stablecoin use cases and strategy.

This move signals that traditional financial infrastructure leaders are taking digital assets seriously. Stablecoins promise faster, cheaper settlement and smoother cross-border payments compared with legacy rails, and Visa wants to be the trusted guide for companies entering this space. This will enhance Visa’s value-added service offerings.

For Visa, the advisory practice could deepen client relationships, unlock new consulting revenues and accelerate adoption of stablecoin-linked services across its ecosystem. By helping partners build stablecoin strategies, Visa also strengthens its role at the intersection of regulated finance and digital-asset innovation, a strategic edge as payments continue evolving worldwide.

Rivals’ Positions in the Stablecoin Race

Peers like Mastercard Incorporated MA and American Express Company AXP are also expanding their footprint in the stablecoin space.

In April 2025, Mastercard rolled out full-stack support for stablecoin payments, covering issuance, acceptance and settlement. It also became part of the Paxos-backed Global Dollar Network, enabling member institutions to mint, redeem and distribute the USDG stablecoin within that ecosystem. American Express has taken a different path, teaming up with Coinbase to launch a crypto-linked credit card that offers rewards connected to digital asset activity. Compared with peers, AmEx is moving cautiously on stablecoins and broader blockchain initiatives amid evolving regulatory and market conditions.

Visa’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of Visa have gained 9.8% in the past year, outperforming the broader industry but underperforming the S&P 500 Index.

Visa 1-Year Price Performance

From a valuation standpoint, Visa trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 26.35X, up from the industry average of 21X. Visa carries a Value Score of D.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa’s fiscal 2026 earnings implies an 11.7% rise year over year, followed by 13.2% growth next year.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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