Visa is the credit-card network that uses the four-letter stock ticker V.
Visa Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol V. The company operates a global electronic payments network connecting consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and governments. Visa generally does not lend directly to cardholders; banks and other issuers provide the cards and set many account terms.
Visa began with Bank of America's BankAmericard program, launched in California in 1958. The system was later expanded internationally and rebranded Visa in 1976. Visa became a separate public company in 2008 through one of the largest initial public offerings in United States history at that time.
Its market capitalization is supported by the volume and value of payments processed through its network. A common mistake is describing Visa as a bank. Visa is primarily a payments-network company, while card-issuing banks handle credit risk, customer accounts, and many lending decisions.