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Visa Inc. operates in the services sector, within the commercial services industry, and was founded in 1958 in the United States by Bank of America.
Currently led by CEO Ryan McInerney, the company operates under the regulation of financial and governmental authorities across more than 200 countries and territories.
Visa’s mission is to facilitate fast, secure, and reliable electronic payments, connecting consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments around the world.
Importantly, Visa is not a bank—it does not issue cards directly, extend credit, or set rates and fees. Instead, its role in the financial ecosystem is to provide the infrastructure and technology that enable financial institutions to offer payment services to end users.
Visa generates revenue through three main business categories:
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Service Revenues: support provided to financial institutions using the Visa network.
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Data Processing Revenues: authorization, clearing, and settlement of transactions through its global infrastructure.
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International Transaction Revenues: currency conversion and cross-border transaction processing.
Visa’s key products include credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.
With a global footprint, Visa’s technology powers electronic payments across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The company partners with thousands of financial institutions and millions of merchants that accept Visa-branded cards.
Employing around 20,500 people, Visa operates one of the world’s most advanced payment networks and continues to invest in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital payment solutions to maintain its leadership in the financial technology sector.
Visa’s shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker V.
History and founding of Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. originated in 1958, when Bank of America launched the BankAmericard—the first consumer credit card program in the United States.
This groundbreaking concept allowed consumers to make purchases without using cash, sparking the rise of the modern electronic payments industry.
In 1975, the company launched the first debit card, offering a new way to pay that competed with checks and physical money. The following year, in 1976, the Visa brand was officially introduced, unifying card programs under a single global identity.
The 1980s marked a key period of global expansion. In 1983, Visa issued its first card in Brazil, and in 1987, opened its first office in the country. Over the decades, the company continued developing secure, scalable payment technologies.
In 2008, Visa underwent a corporate restructuring and completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the NYSE, raising approximately $17.9 billion—one of the largest IPOs in U.S. history.
In recent years, Visa has expanded the use of artificial intelligence to enhance transaction security and invested in contactless payments and cryptocurrency-related initiatives.
Between 2022 and 2024, the company established strategic partnerships with fintechs and developed new digital payment solutions, maintaining its leadership in the global electronic payments sector.
Additional Information
The Company Visa Inc. (United States), is listed on NYSE with a market cap of $ 555.15 Billions, having an equity of $ 37.91 Billions.
With a total of 20.500 employees, the company is listed in the sector of Services and categorized in industry of Commercial Services.
In the last 12 months the Company had a revenue of $ 40.00 Billions, which generated a profit in the amount of $ 20.06 Billions.
As for its main indicators, the Company has a P/E ratio of 27.68, a P/BV ratio of 14.64 and in the last 12 months the dividend yield of V was at 0.72%.
The Company is traded internationally through the ticker V.
