Visa Renews ICBA Partnership to Power Card Payments for U.S. Community Banks

Visa and Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) subsidiary ICBA Payments are renewing their 40-year relationship, reinforcing Visa’s reach among community banks — an often-overlooked but vital segment of the market.

By renewing its long-term partnership with ICBA Payments, Visa ensures its network and products will remain embedded in these local institutions — expanding card issuance, growing transaction volume, and driving deeper penetration into regional markets that might otherwise lag in modern card services.

The U.S. has more than 4,100 community banks, making up 90% of all banks in the country. As their name suggests, these institutions play a vital role in supporting local communities.

But despite their numbers, community banks hold only about 11% of the nation’s FDIC-insured banking assets.

That’s why partnerships such as the one between Visa and ICBA Payments are so valuable to community banks. They equip smaller card issuers to compete against larger entities that employ more payments experts and have bigger budgets for research and development.

The Visa and ICBA Payments partnership also ensures that people can bank with their local financial institution with the confidence that they’re not missing out on emerging product enhancements.

Jacob Eisen, CEO of ICBA Payments, said in a press release that the collaboration between the companies “reflects our shared commitment to enhancing the delivery of leading-edge payment products and services that align with the mission and model of community banking.”

The renewed partnership will allow ICBA Payments to continue offering Visa card programs, including support for contactless payments and tokenized digital wallets.

Contactless payments have grown in popularity around the world. According to recent research, nearly 90% of consumers in the U.S. now use some method of contactless payments.

And a new report reveals that tokenization is playing an increasingly important role in the payment ecosystem as more stakeholders gain awareness of how the technology can power seamless and secure digital payments.

 Nearly 90% of Americans use some form of contactless payment to complete a transaction.

The renewed partnership also plans to use Visa Direct, Visa’s real-time payment platform, to help community banks offer faster, more flexible payment experiences to their customers.

The alliance between Visa and ICBA Payments “is grounded in our shared values and a deep belief in the power of local communities,” Bill Dobbins, Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Enablement at Visa, noted in the press release.

“Visa is proud to be the trusted network for more than 80% of ICBA member banks,” Dobbins said. “Together, we’re helping community banks deliver modern, secure financial experiences that drive economic opportunity and strengthen the neighborhoods they serve.”