Stripe Targets Global Expansion for Stablecoin Card Program
Stripe plans to scale its stablecoin-backed card program to over 100 countries by the end of 2026, leveraging infrastructure from its acquisitions of Bridge and Privy.
Stripe announced plans to expand its stablecoin card program to more than 100 countries before the end of 2026. This move marks a significant increase from the 18 countries where the program initially launched in March 2026 through a partnership with Visa.
The expansion relies on technology from Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure firm Stripe acquired for $1.1 billion in 2024. By utilizing Bridge, the program enables on-chain settlement, allowing for money movement and finalization on a blockchain rather than relying solely on traditional banking rails. The company also integrated Privy, which it acquired in 2025, to support the technical infrastructure for these global card offerings.
Cardholders are able to spend at any of the more than 175 million locations within Visa’s merchant network. Existing users of the program include the crypto exchange Kraken and the corporate spend platform Ramp.
The broader stablecoin card market has seen rapid growth, with spending reaching approximately $1.2 billion in September 2026. This figure represents a threefold increase compared to the same period in the previous year, within a digital dollar market that now exceeds $300 billion.
Stripe’s wider strategy involves enabling financial services in over 100 countries and issuing stablecoins in more than 30 markets. Achieving the year-end goal will require the company to navigate various regulatory regimes, licensing requirements, and local banking partnerships.
Traders and observers are monitoring the actual number of countries that go live by the end of the year, the trajectory of monthly stablecoin card spending, and the addition of new platforms to the program.
