Global: Visa Reports 50% of Global eCommerce Transactions Now Tokenized, Citing Continued Growth in Digital Payments

Visa has reaffirmed its leadership in the digital payments ecosystem, reporting that nearly half of global eCommerce transactions are now secured through tokenization, according to its latest earnings call for fiscal Q2 ending April 21. The global payment giant also noted a continued rise in tap-to-pay usage, signaling a strong shift toward secure, frictionless payment technologies.

The company’s performance highlights a resilient global economy, with consumer spending showing no signs of weakness across any demographic in the U.S. market. Visa’s diverse and scalable business model—spanning debit, credit, commercial payments, and stablecoins—has helped it weather macroeconomic uncertainty, including potential tariff-related headwinds.

Key Highlights:

• Tokenized Transactions: Visa disclosed that 50% of its eCommerce transactions worldwide are now tokenized, reinforcing the critical role of compliance technology in safeguarding digital transactions.

• Tap-to-Pay Expansion: Tap-to-pay penetration has reached 76% globally, with the U.S. surpassing the 60% milestone for the first time. Visa’s “tap to everything” strategy, including innovations like Tap to Phone, continues to gain momentum.

• Commercial Payment Growth: Commercial volumes rose 6%, and Visa Direct transactions surged 28% to hit 3 billion. These figures underscore increasing enterprise demand for RegTech solutions and embedded finance tools.

• Cross-Border Commerce: Cross-border volumes (excluding intra-Europe) climbed 13% year-over-year in constant dollars. eCommerce-related cross-border spend grew 14%, and travel-related spending increased by 12%, reflecting a rebound in global mobility and commerce.

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney emphasized the company’s focus on digital innovation, noting the addition of 1 billion new tokens, bringing the total to 13.7 billion. He highlighted stablecoins as an emerging growth area, pointing to Visa’s recently achieved milestone of $200 million in cumulative stablecoin settlements—a clear signal of regulatory technology trends intersecting with next-gen financial instruments.

“We’re prioritizing interoperability and programmability in our stablecoin operations,” McInerney stated, aligning with global moves toward regulatory compliance and the evolution of cross-border digital settlements.

Resilience in Consumer Spending

Despite concerns over tariffs and economic volatility, Visa’s earnings reflected strong consumer sentiment. U.S. payments volume increased by 6%, while international volumes rose 9%. Debit transactions in the U.S. saw a 9% uptick, outpacing credit growth of 4%. Value-added services revenue, another indicator of compliance management demand, was up 22%.

CFO Chris Suh noted that eCommerce spending in the U.S. grew faster than face-to-face transactions, with steady growth in restaurant, retail, and fuel sectors. He also flagged a temporary spike in electronics spending, likely due to early purchases.

Looking forward, Visa expects cross-border transaction levels to remain consistent with March and April trends, and net revenue to grow in the low double digits. The company sees ongoing economic uncertainties but remains confident in its diverse portfolio and technological adaptability.

“Our diverse business model and deep investment in compliance automation and digital infrastructure have helped us remain resilient across changing market conditions,” McInerney concluded.

Visa shares rose approximately 0.7% in after-hours trading following the announcement.