Visa Inc. originated in 1958 as a credit card program called BankAmericard, launched by Bank of America. Initially operating only in California, the program evolved into a national licensing system by the late 1960s and adopted “Visa” as the common name for all cards in 1976. The company fundamentally changed global commerce by creating a decentralized payment network, allowing banks to offer credit cards to their own customers and providing an alternative to cash.

Today, Visa is one of the world’s two largest digital payment networks, alongside Mastercard. The company does not issue cards or extend credit; instead, it provides financial institutions, merchants, and consumers with the “VisaNet” technology infrastructure to use Visa-branded payment products. This network, capable of processing tens of thousands of transactions per second, forms the foundation of the company’s power. Visa maintains its leadership in the global payments market by focusing on innovations like security and contactless payments, enabling the growth of the digital economy.