Visa Reportedly Seeking New Stablecoin Settlement Partners Across Four Markets

Visa is searching for new stablecoin settlement partners after Mastercard acquired BVNK, a stablecoin payments infrastructure firm, as reported by CoinMarketCap on Aug 19, 2026. Visa is targeting firms already licensed in the US, UK, Canada, and Singapore, the four jurisdictions where regulated stablecoin settlement is most advanced. BVNK built the layer that handles licensing, reserve custody, and fiat on/off ramps for stablecoin flows.

Mastercard's purchase gives it direct control over infrastructure it previously accessed through a partnership. Visa now needs equivalent capability from a different provider. The rivalry reflects a broader pattern: both networks have spent two years moving from stablecoin pilots to outright ownership of settlement infrastructure.

Controlling that layer lets a card network capture settlement economics rather than ceding margin to a third party.