Visa is accelerating its push into the future of digital commerce with a suite of artificial intelligence (AI), stablecoin and tokenisation technologies designed to help financial institutions and businesses across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) adapt to the rapidly evolving payments landscape.
The new innovations, unveiled ahead of the Visa Payments Forum in Paris, reflect the company’s strategy to build a more intelligent, secure and efficient payment ecosystem where AI-powered transactions, blockchain-based settlements and tokenised payments become mainstream.
According to Visa’s Regional President for CEMEA, Tareq Muhmood, the payments industry is undergoing a significant transformation as AI and digital currencies increasingly influence how money is moved, processed and secured.
“Commerce is entering a new phase that is becoming more intelligent, programmable and seamlessly integrated into everyday experiences,” Muhmood said. He noted that while digital innovation presents enormous opportunities for businesses, success will depend on building payment systems that prioritise trust, security and interoperability.
A major highlight of Visa’s announcement is the expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities. The company said AI is no longer limited to assisting users but is beginning to initiate and complete transactions on behalf of consumers and businesses, creating the need for new safeguards within digital commerce.
To support this shift, Visa introduced Visa Intelligent Commerce, a platform built to provide security controls for AI-enabled transactions. The platform is designed to ensure that payments initiated by AI agents remain secure, transparent and compliant with evolving digital commerce standards.
Visa also unveiled Agent Score, a new assessment tool developed in partnership with New Generation. The solution enables merchants to evaluate whether their online platforms are prepared for AI-driven shopping experiences by testing if AI agents can successfully navigate websites, understand product information and complete transactions without disruption.
Complementing the rollout is Agentic Directory, a verification platform that authenticates merchants and AI agents participating in digital commerce. Visa said the initiative is intended to improve trust and reduce fraud as AI becomes more deeply integrated into online payment systems.
Beyond AI, Visa revealed that tokenisation continues to gain significant momentum across the CEMEA region. The company disclosed that tokenised payments accounted for approximately 70 per cent of all Visa transactions in the region in 2026, a sharp increase from just 26 per cent recorded in 2023.
To further strengthen transaction security, Visa is enhancing its token technology by embedding richer payment intelligence, including details about transaction types, token usage and payer identity. It also introduced a Token Assurance Signal, a security feature that evaluates the reliability of payment tokens throughout their lifecycle, from creation to transaction history, helping financial institutions better assess payment risk.
The payments giant is also expanding its blockchain strategy through greater adoption of stablecoins and tokenised deposits.
According to the company, it is developing technology that enables banks to convert conventional customer deposits into programmable digital assets while allowing financial institutions to retain those funds on their balance sheets.
Visa disclosed that its stablecoin settlement initiatives have expanded across multiple blockchain networks, currencies and global markets. The company said it has processed billions of dollars in stablecoin transactions through VisaNet, reaching an annualised transaction value of approximately $7 billion as of March 2026.
It added that several issuing banks now settle transactions on blockchain networks around the clock, with ongoing efforts to extend similar capabilities to acquiring banks. Stablecoin settlement activity across the CEMEA region has also surged, increasing nearly 60-fold since the service was introduced just a year ago.
Globally, Visa said more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programmes are either already active or currently being developed, allowing consumers and businesses to spend stablecoin balances anywhere Visa cards are accepted.
As part of its broader AI roadmap, the company also launched Visa Trip Intelligence, an AI-powered solution that combines VisaNet transaction data with third-party information to help banks anticipate customers’ travel plans before they make purchases abroad.
The technology is designed to generate personalised travel insights, improve customer engagement, minimise payment interruptions during international travel and enable banks to deliver more relevant travel-related financial services.
With AI, blockchain and tokenisation rapidly reshaping global financial services, Visa’s latest product expansion signals its ambition to build the digital infrastructure that will support the next generation of intelligent, automated and secure payments. Industry observers believe the new technologies could play a significant role in accelerating digital commerce while giving businesses and financial institutions more advanced tools to manage transactions in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
