StraitsX partners with Visa to extend its stablecoin card issuing infrastructure beyond Asia to more than 100 markets

Singapore's StraitsX, a stablecoin settlement provider licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Major Payment Institution, has partnered with Visa to support eligible card programmes in more than 100 markets, subject to regulatory and Visa requirements.

The service targets fintechs, digital payment token providers, wallets and other businesses building cards that connect stablecoin balances to Visa's acceptance network. Stablecoins fund and settle the transaction; cardholders pay with ordinary Visa credentials, so merchants and consumers change nothing.

StraitsX's card issuing business in Asia has reached an annualised card gross transaction value of more than US$6 billion across its stablecoin-backed programmes. The company issues the XUSD and XSGD stablecoins and is building rails for payments initiated by AI agents.

CEO and co-founder Tianwei Liu said stablecoin-backed cards are one of the clearest cases of stablecoins moving from settlement into everyday payments. Visa's Rubail Birwadker said the deal opens more ways to use stablecoins for real-world flows on the network.