Visa has launched a new flexible payment feature in the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), tapping into growing consumer demand for more diverse ways to pay. Known as the “flexible credential” feature, it enables users to make purchases with a single card that can draw funds from different sources. This feature is already available in several countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
With this launch, Visa is aiming to make payments more convenient for people, as well as supporting retailers in offering customers a wider variety of payment options. According to Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of personal finance platform WalletHub, “Most people think of their finances on a month-to-month basis. Breaking down the cost of an item helps people with their financial decisions and allows retailers to sell more.”
In the U.S., Visa has teamed up with Affirm, a popular fintech firm with 1.4 million active cardholders. This partnership is a reflection of the increasing collaboration between traditional financial institutions like Visa and newer fintech companies. While these two sectors were once seen as competitors, their growing alliances are opening up new opportunities and revenue streams for both sides.
As fintechs like Affirm take the lead in innovation, it’s expected that more traditional banks will start adopting similar features as the ecosystem continues to evolve. Nelsen, a payments expert, explains: “It’s a little bit easier for the fintechs to get started on this. But as the ecosystem matures, you’ll see some legacy banks start to take advantage of it as well.”
Affirm’s CEO, Max Levchin, expressed the company’s excitement about the new partnership, saying they aim to deliver a product that “seamlessly brings debit and credit together, without late or hidden fees.”
The expansion into the UAE sees Visa collaborating with Liv Bank, marking another step in its strategy to make flexible payment options more accessible in key global markets.
With these new offerings, Visa is positioning itself to cater to the evolving preferences of consumers who are seeking greater flexibility and choice when managing their finances. The combination of Visa’s global reach and fintech innovation is likely to transform how people think about paying for everyday purchases.