Visa integrates Mercuryo for near‑instant crypto-to-fiat payouts to Visa cards
Visa has partnered with crypto payments provider Mercuryo to enable eligible users to convert crypto into fiat and receive funds on Visa debit and credit cards via Visa Direct. The integration supports near-instant settlement—typically minutes—and is positioned to cut costs and speed up cross-border payouts compared with traditional conversion and payout methods. The move extends Visa Direct’s real-time money-movement network to Mercuryo’s user base and builds on Visa’s broader digital-asset strategy, which includes a Stablecoins Advisory Practice and growing stablecoin settlement volumes (a reported $3.5 billion annualized run rate). The partnership follows Visa’s recent collaborations aimed at faster stablecoin settlements and signals continued effort by major payments firms to make crypto-to-fiat conversions faster and more practical for everyday use.
Bullish
The partnership should be viewed as bullish for the broader crypto ecosystem, especially for stablecoins and on/off‑ramp services. Faster, lower‑cost fiat payouts to Visa cards reduce frictions for users and make crypto holdings more liquid and practical. That can increase transaction volumes on custodial and noncustodial platforms that integrate Mercuryo and Visa Direct, and support demand for fiat‑pegged stablecoins used in settlements. Historically, payments integrations (e.g., card ramps, faster settlement rails) have supported higher retail and remittance flows into crypto markets and improved market microstructure by shortening funding and withdrawal times. In the short term, traders may see modest positive sentiment in stablecoin and payment-related tokens and increased volumes on centralized platforms; price effects on major assets (BTC, ETH) should be limited but positive via improved utility. In the long term, repeated integrations by major payments firms can broaden adoption, deepen liquidity, and reduce premium discounts on large stablecoin transactions—benefits that are constructive for market stability and gradual price appreciation. Risks remain: regulatory scrutiny of on/off‑ramps and potential compliance or KYC frictions could temper adoption.