WS Investor
09 Sep 2026, 15:26
Visa and World Bank Group Launch $200 Million Digital Payments Initiative in Emerging Markets
Visa (NYSE: V) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced a new risk-sharing initiative aimed at expanding access to digital payments and financial services across emerging markets.
Under the agreement, IFC will share credit settlement risk associated with Visa transactions at participating financial institutions. The structure is designed to make it easier for these institutions to connect underbanked consumers and small businesses to Visa’s digital payments network.
The initiative is expected to support approximately $200 million in risk sharing over five years. It will initially focus on 14 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean and is expected to reach roughly 50 financial institutions with below-investment-grade ratings.
Visa and IFC said the partnership could help millions of additional consumers and small businesses gain access to digital financial services, supporting payments, borrowing and participation in the formal economy.
For Visa, the initiative extends its payments infrastructure deeper into emerging markets while reducing some of the credit-settlement constraints faced by participating financial institutions.
Visa (NYSE: V) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced a new risk-sharing initiative aimed at expanding access to digital payments and financial services across emerging markets.
Under the agreement, IFC will share credit settlement risk associated with Visa transactions at participating financial institutions. The structure is designed to make it easier for these institutions to connect underbanked consumers and small businesses to Visa’s digital payments network.
The initiative is expected to support approximately $200 million in risk sharing over five years. It will initially focus on 14 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean and is expected to reach roughly 50 financial institutions with below-investment-grade ratings.
Visa and IFC said the partnership could help millions of additional consumers and small businesses gain access to digital financial services, supporting payments, borrowing and participation in the formal economy.
For Visa, the initiative extends its payments infrastructure deeper into emerging markets while reducing some of the credit-settlement constraints faced by participating financial institutions.
