Visa and Tangem Unveil Combined Payment Card-Crypto Wallet

Switzerland-based cryptocurrency wallet maker Tangem AG has launched a payments partnership with Visa.

The collaboration, announced Friday (July 5), has resulted in a Visa payments card combined with a hardware wallet that lets Tangem users make payments using their crypto or stablecoin balances at merchants that accept Visa.

“We are delighted that Visa has chosen to partner with Tangem, one of the most reliable and secure solutions for personal cryptocurrency storage,” Andrey Kurennykh, co-founder and CEO of Tangem, said in a news release.

“Our users will get a two-in-one solution — the convenience of a regular bank card and the capabilities of a self-custodial crypto wallet, all in one card.”

Kurennykh added that the partnership will go a long way toward “bridging the gap between traditional banking and digital assets, making it easier for everyday users to navigate and leverage the benefits of both worlds.”

According to the release, the new solution differs from traditional custodial solutions, which rely on third-party entities to handle user funds. In this case, Tangem’s card embeds a private key within the chip and requires the physical card’s use for every transaction, making sure users are always in control of their assets.

The partnership is happening a moment when, as PYMNTS wrote earlier this week, the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector finds itself at a crucial juncture.

“It is the same critical juncture, or at least one strikingly similar, that the crypto and digital asset sector has always found itself at — a juncture where regulatory developments, interoperability and scalability, and institutional acceptance are at the forefront,” that report said.

The reason? Regulations, usability and acceptance are the three themes and trends observers believe will mold the future of Web3, a future that’s more than a decade in the works.

While the adoption of crypto as a mainstream payment mechanism has yet to displace more traditional methods in spite of the rise of digital transactions, crypto has still seen some success as a financial asset, that report argued.

One of the most pressing issues facing the space is a need for clear regulation to protect consumers, prevent fraud and drive institutional investment.

Taming the “Wild West” that is the crypto landscape remains a challenge, the report noted. This week began with the Securities and Exchange Commission accusing Silvergate Capital, once a favorite partner of the crypto industry, with a range of compliance failures.