Visa created the Visa payment network and trades publicly under the ticker V. The network connects consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and payment processors, helping authorize and settle electronic transactions around the world.
Visa’s history began with Bank of America’s BankAmericard program, launched in California in 1958. The brand expanded internationally and was renamed Visa in 1976. Visa Inc. became a separate public company in 2008 after the payment operations of Visa were reorganized.
Visa generally does not issue cards or provide most consumer loans itself. Banks and other financial institutions issue many Visa-branded cards, while Visa operates the network that processes transactions. This distinction separates Visa from card issuers and helps explain its asset-light business model.