Visa is the payments network recognized by its blue-and-gold logo that became one of the world’s most valuable companies by market capitalization.
Visa’s history began with Bank of America’s BankAmericard, launched in California in 1958. The card program expanded through licensing and international partnerships, eventually becoming a global network independent of the bank that started it.
The name Visa was adopted in 1976. Visa Inc. became a public company in 2008, when it completed one of the largest initial public offerings in United States history. The company operates a payments network connecting consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and governments.
Visa generally does not lend money directly to cardholders in the way an issuing bank does. Instead, it provides network technology and rules for authorization, clearing, and settlement. This distinction explains why Visa and Mastercard can be payment networks while banks issue the cards carrying their logos.