Visa Is Betting on Stablecoins as World ID Launch Puts Crypto One Step Closer to Credit Cards

Tools for Humanity, co-founded in 2019 by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and theoretical physicist Alex Blania, just launched its biometric identity system in the United States on May 1, with storefronts opening in six major cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

To support the launch, Tools for Humanity also introduced a new version of its Orb iris-scanning hardware, expanded its infrastructure, and announced integration deals with Stripe, Kalshi, Tinder, Razer, and Morpho.

Tools for Humanity’s phone-based World App, which ties into World ID, lets users make payments and even top off a World ID Visa card using WLD or other supported stablecoins (e.g., cryptocurrencies designed to hold a stable value, often pegged to the U.S. dollar).

WLD is also available on major crypto exchanges like Coinbase. The vision is to bridge the crypto and regular currency worlds with real-time conversion and daily functionality.

The partnership is part of Visa’s broader push to invest in stablecoin and blockchain technology. Visa aims to keep up with the trends in consumer spending — and that if stablecoins have a part to play in the future of payments, the company would play a part as well.

Stablecoins are designed to hold a stable value, rendering them less volatile than traditional cryptocurrency.

Earlier this year, Visa announced a collaboration with Stripe to launch stablecoin-backed cards in Latin America to serve the areas that stand to gain the most through effective cross-border payments.

The World ID partnership does the same by plugging stablecoins into a crypto-first system. It allows Visa to experiment with new digital currencies without affecting its traditional infrastructure.

For issuers, these aren’t just headlines — they’re warning signs that change is coming. Stablecoins as payment substitutes present the threat of undercutting conventional credit card costs, particularly for cross-border or high-volume payments.

The coins also settle immediately. Unlike traditional cards that batch payments together, stablecoins facilitate the instant payment of money, 24/7, removing friction and potentially changing user behavior.

Visa’s efforts with crypto startups may determine the way traditional and digital payment methods coexist. Mastercard has already entered the market, and others are sure to follow.

World’s US launch also includes the roll-out of Orb Mini biometric identification devices, as well as the expansion of its network to 7,500 scanning locations. Its features are augmented by partnerships with Stripe, Kalshi, Tinder, Razer, and Morpho — accessible through the World App catalog of over 150 mini-apps.

There are worldwide regulatory hurdles to overcome, but the firm asserts that its handling of US data meets all the correct criteria.

Following the relaxation of crypto regulation, Tools for Humanity went forward with its US launch, although WLD remains unavailable in New York.

“It was clear to us that there was a need for something like this,” said Sam Altman at the launch event, “that we needed some sort of way for authenticating humans in the age of AGI.”

Orb scanners have also raised privacy concerns, but World ID will authenticate who’s real as AI expands. Sam Altman also envisions it financing a form of universal basic income through WLD.

And for issuers, the change is already happening: stablecoins are inching toward mainstream usage. Banks might have to reconsider fees, incentives, and the role of conventional rails as more users load cards or receive wages in digital dollars.

Visa’s deal with World ID is an unmistakable sign that this is no longer a crypto experiment.