Visa Announces Fintech Fast-Track Program in Asia Pacific

Fintechs will be able to connect to Visa's payment network in as little as four weeks

SINGAPORE,Nov. 8,2018 -- Visa (NYSE: V) today announced it is expanding its fast-track program to support fintechs in Asia Pacific that are developing the next generation of digital payment solutions. Already rolled out in Europe and Latin America,the fast-track program speeds up the process for fintechs to integrate their payment solutions with VisaNet,Visa's global network.

Beginning this month,fintech companies based in Asia Pacific can onboard to Visa's global network in as little as four weeks. The fast-track program has been tailored to Visa's fintech partners' needs,adapting to their realities and providing them with processes that are faster,which include reducing the number of onboarding conditions. The program also links fintechs to platforms that are already certified by Visa and connects fintechs to sponsoring banks.

Chris Clark,regional president,Asia Pacific,Visa,said,"The Asia Pacific region is home to some of the world's most innovative fintech companies and they're putting new payment experiences in the hands of consumers and businesses every day. As a network business,Visa is in a prime position to help these fintech companies expand their reach,both by making their solutions available on our network and collaborating with our financial institution partners."

"Payment innovation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace in Asia Pacific,and Visa's goal is to make it faster for new solutions to be commercially available. We believe that working collaboratively across the industry is the best path to making tomorrow's payment experiences a reality," said Clark.

The fintech fast-track program provides a new commercial framework that includes access to Visa's payment capabilities,reduced fees and streamlined processes. After successful launches in June in Europe and in Latin America in October,the program is now available to fintechs in Asia Pacific. The initial focus for Asia Pacific will be to support fintechs that are innovating in verticals such as wallets,instalments,and digital banking.

The fast-track program is one of several initiatives of several Visa programs designed to support fintech and startup companies. These include:

Investment: Visa continuously evaluates and invests in companies that have the potential to advance digital payments for our clients and their customers. Recent fintech investments globally have included Klarna,solarisBank,Marqeta and Paidy in Asia Pacific.

Partnership: Many payment platforms and fintechs are already collaborating with Visa globally to create new consumer and merchant experiences,including YellowPepper,NovoPayment,novae,Increase,Contis,EVRY,Jaja,Revolut and Wirecard.

Engagement: Visa's Everywhere Initiative,a global innovation program that tasks startups with solving some of the most challenging issues in payments and commerce,has been running in Asia Pacific since 2016.

Fintechs in Asia Pacific who are attending the Singapore Fintech Festival can stop by the Visa booth to learn more about the Visa fintech fast-track program.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world's leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative,reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals,businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network,VisaNet,provides secure and reliable payments around the world,and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device,and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone,everywhere. As the world moves from analogue to digital,Visa is applying our brand,products,people,network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information,visit About Visa,https://usa.visa.com/visa-everywhere/blog.html and @VisaNews.