Stripe Aims to Expand Stablecoin Cards to 100 Countries by Year-End

Stripe is accelerating its stablecoin card program, aiming to bring the service to over 100 countries by the end of 2026. The expansion marks a dramatic leap from its initial launch in March 2026, when the program debuted in just 18 countries, primarily in Latin America, through a partnership with Visa.

The company announced its ambitious plans on October 5, 2026, leveraging its acquisitions of Bridge and Privy to support the global rollout. Bridge, acquired for $1.1 billion in 2024, enables on-chain settlement options, while Privy, bought in 2025, helps form the technical backbone for the cards. Together, these acquisitions allow Stripe to process transactions directly on a blockchain rather than relying solely on traditional banking systems.

The stablecoin card market is experiencing rapid growth, with spending reaching approximately $1.2 billion in September 2026, nearly three times the amount from the previous year. This growth is part of a broader digital dollar market that now exceeds $300 billion. Current users of Stripe’s stablecoin card program include crypto exchange Kraken and corporate spend platform Ramp.

Stripe’s strategy has been in development for several years, with the Bridge acquisition in 2024 serving as the first major step. The Visa partnership in March 2026 marked the initial test phase. Moving forward, Stripe plans to enable financial services in over 100 countries and issue stablecoins in more than 30 markets. However, expanding to so many countries in such a short time presents significant regulatory and operational challenges, making the year-end target more of a goal than a guarantee.