Mesh and Visa link wallet balances to 175 million merchants

Mesh has partnered with Visa to let people pay in stores and online from crypto and stablecoin balances held in participating wallet apps. The companies say the service will reach Visa’s network of more than 175 million merchant locations, giving users a way to spend without first selling or transferring funds. Mesh’s announcement says it was made on October 19.

How will a wallet payment work?

A Visa payment credential will be set up in the background, while Mesh handles how the payment is funded and converted. Users would tap at a regular contactless terminal or pay online. Merchants would receive a standard payment and would not need new equipment or a changed checkout process, according to Mesh.

Mesh says users will not need to sell, transfer or preload funds before paying. The system is designed to draw from supported crypto, stablecoin or fiat balances. A stablecoin is a crypto token designed to track the value of another asset, often a currency such as the US dollar.

Will users need to get a separate card?

No separate card is required for the planned wallet experience. Instead, platforms that already hold users’ balances can connect through Mesh, which says it will act as program manager and handle onboarding and identity checks. That means participating platforms can offer Visa spending without building and running their own card program.

The partnership connects digital asset balances to Visa’s merchant network; it does not mean merchants will accept crypto directly. The announcement says the payment will reach merchants as a standard Visa transaction, with Mesh coordinating funding and conversion behind the scenes.

When can people use the service?

A launch date, supported devices and participating wallet platforms have not been announced. The Block also reported that those rollout details remain pending. Mesh says the experience will become available as platforms come online, so the partnership announcement does not yet tell users whether their wallet will support it or when.

For now, the confirmed change is a planned payment link between wallet balances and Visa’s existing acceptance network. People will need to wait for participating platforms and availability details before they can use it to pay.

References

• Mesh’s announcement — meshpay.com