MiniPay launches Visa debit card to connect stablecoin users in emerging markets to global spending

MiniPay, Opera's self-custodial stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain, today launched the MiniPay Card in collaboration with Visa and powered by Gnosis Pay. The digital Visa debit card enables eligible users in selected markets across Europe (EEA), Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia to spend stablecoin balances at 175M+ merchant locations worldwide. Continue Reading The MiniPay Card marks an important step in MiniPay's mission to make stablecoins useful in daily life, especially in markets where people are increasingly saving, receiving and holding value in digital dollars, but still face limited access to the global payment infrastructure. Using Gnosis Pay's payments infrastructure, MiniPay connects local onramps and stablecoin balances to Visa's global merchant network, helping users move more easily between local financial systems and everyday global commerce.The launch builds on MiniPay's growing payments ecosystem. Following the introduction of Virtual Bank Accounts, which allow users to receive money directly into their wallets in stablecoins, the MiniPay Card now gives users a way to spend those balances online and in person anywhere Visa is accepted."MiniPay was built to make stablecoins useful in everyday life, not just to hold or send, but to spend," said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. "What makes this launch especially meaningful is that it helps connect users in high-growth markets to global commerce through a simple, reliable dollar-based card. We already help people move money more easily through integrations with trusted local rails such as Mpesa in Kenya, OPay in Nigeria or Mercado Pago in Latin America. This card is the next step in making those funds instantly usable wherever Visa is accepted. ""Trust is foundational to how people engage with digital payments," said Dan Roesbery, VP Global Crypto Partnerships & GTM at Visa. "Through our work with MiniPay, we are helping support trusted, familiar payment experiences that connect users in markets with growing demand for digital payments to every day commerce.""We built Gnosis Pay on the belief that stablecoins should work like money, which means that they need to be spendable. For someone in Lagos or Nairobi who already holds savings in digital dollars, the missing piece isn't the wallet. It's the last meter. The ability to spend those balances at a checkout in another country without the merchant needing to know or care about crypto. This card program closes that gap." said Friederike Ernst, founder of Gnosis.MiniPay's traction is particularly strong in emerging markets, where demand for faster, lower-friction ways to save, send and spend money continues to rise. Since launching in 2023, MiniPay has grown to more than 16 million activated wallets across 65+ countries, with strong adoption in markets across Africa and other high-growth regions. The MiniPay Card represents the next step in that evolution, expanding MiniPay from a wallet for savings, transfers and payments into a more complete commerce experience.Users can add the MiniPay card to their Apple Pay and Google Pay for fast contactless payments using their smartphone. The card runs on Gnosis Pay's infrastructure, which bridges MiniPay's stablecoin balances to Visa's global network. Merchants receive payment in their local currency with no crypto-specific setup required, while users spend directly from their wallet. Gnosis Pay also serves as program manager for the card, handling the technical and compliance layer that makes this work across multiple markets.In selected markets, the MiniPay Card will also offer cashback in digital assets including Tether Gold (XAUt0), USDT, and USDC, giving users rewards in assets designed for utility rather than short-term promotional value.Key features and differentiators: Built for real-world spending: Users can spend stablecoin balances globally through a familiar Visa debit card experience, online or in person. Card infrastructure: The card is issued through Monavate's regulated card issuing and Visa's global payments network, with Gnosis Pay serving as technical enabler and program manager. Global reach, local relevance: The card extends MiniPay's broader approach of combining global stablecoin utility with access points and payment experiences that reflect how people already move money locally. Digital wallet integration: Users can add the card to Apple Pay and Google Pay for seamless mobile payments. Low-fee model: The card has no monthly or annual fees and transactions incur only a competitively low nominal FX fee.Further details on market availability and product features can be found at http://minipay.to/virtual-card

MiniPay launches Visa debit card to connect stablecoin users in emerging markets to global spending

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