Visa is the world's largest payment network by purchase transactions and trades under the ticker V.
Visa operates a global electronic-payments network that connects consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and governments. It generally does not issue cards or extend credit itself; banks and other institutions provide those services through the network.
The company traces its history to BankAmericard, introduced by Bank of America in 1958. BankAmericard was later expanded internationally and renamed Visa in 1976.
Visa became a publicly traded company in 2008 through an initial public offering that raised about $17.9 billion. Its scale, transaction volume, and high margins have made it one of the world's most valuable financial companies by market capitalization.