Visa (NYSE:V) Q1 2026 Earnings call January 29, 2026 05:00 PM ET Speaker1Welcome to Visa's Fiscal First Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call. All participants are in a listen-only mode until the question-and-answer session. Today's conference is being recorded. If you have any objections, you may disconnect at this time. I would like to now introduce to your conference to your host, Ms. Jennifer Como, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Investor Relations. Ms. Como, you may begin.Speaker0Thank you. Go ...

Core Insights - Mastercard's fourth-quarter net revenue grew by 15% and value-added services increased by 22% on a currency-neutral basis, indicating strong performance despite macroeconomic uncertainties [3] - The company is focusing on agentic commerce and stablecoins as emerging payment methods, positioning itself for the next phase of digital commerce [5][7] - Contactless payment transactions reached 77%, a 5 percentage point increase from the previous year, while tokenization of transactions has advanced to nearly 40% [9][10] Financial Performance - Mastercard reported worldwide gross dollar volume growth of 7% in the quarter, with cross-border volumes rising by 14% [9] - Operating income increased by 17%, driven by demand for digital, authentication, security, consumer engagement, and business insights services [12] - The company anticipates full-year 2026 net revenue growth at the high end of a low double-digit range on a currency-neutral basis, excluding acquisitions [13] Strategic Initiatives - The AgentPay framework is being extended to enhance identity, trust, and consumer protections in AI-driven transactions, with expectations for global capability by the end of Q1 [6] - Mastercard is piloting agent-based payments in regions including Asia, the UK, and the UAE, indicating readiness for agentic commerce [7] - The company has invested over a decade in digital assets, supporting stablecoin settlement and partnerships with firms like Ripple [5] Regulatory Environment - Management expressed concerns about the potential impacts of credit card interest rate caps, warning that it could restrict access to credit for low-income consumers [14] - The Credit Card Competition Act faces industry opposition, with risks identified regarding payment choice and cybersecurity [15]

Core Insights - Momentum toward comprehensive market structure legislation in the U.S. crypto markets is evident, with Congress aiming to clarify the roles of securities and commodities regulators, although progress has stalled over stablecoin yield disagreements [1] - Public blockchains are transitioning from regulatory outliers to integral components of the U.S. financial system, necessitating tailored regulations [1] - The diversity of industry stakeholders supporting the market structure bill indicates its urgency and adequacy for becoming law [1] Stablecoins - Significant progress has been made in stablecoin legislation, providing clarity on issuance, reserves, and supervision, which enables U.S. companies to compete with offshore issuers [6] - Consumer protection is enhanced by ensuring robust reserves, while the dominance of the dollar in global digital markets is reinforced [6] - Ongoing negotiations may jeopardize these advancements as large banks seek to influence the regulatory framework [6] Traditional Finance Integration - There have been meaningful advancements in integrating crypto infrastructure with traditional financial markets, fostering confidence among banks, fintechs, and asset managers [7] - Key regulators, including the SEC and CFTC, are preparing for a financial system characterized by tokenized securities and decentralized finance, indicating a shift towards cooperative regulation [7] Decentralized Finance (DeFi) - DeFi remains challenging to regulate, but discussions have matured, with regulators acknowledging the need for distinct frameworks for decentralized protocols [8] - Lawmakers are urged to avoid overly rigid regulations that could deter DeFi protocols from implementing necessary safety and compliance measures [9] Regulatory Environment - The SEC's leadership has shifted towards modernizing securities laws for a tokenized world, moving away from regulation by enforcement [10] - Legislative stability is needed to solidify regulatory gains and maintain confidence among U.S. crypto builders [10] Crypto Values - Over the past year, crypto values have gained clearer expression in policy discussions, although tensions between enabling freedom and addressing governmental concerns persist [12] - Progress has been made in areas like repealing the IRS DeFi Broker Rule, but comprehensive tax reforms remain necessary [13] Business Environment - The regulatory tone has shifted from hostility to engagement, creating a more predictable and fair business environment for crypto entrepreneurs [16] - Despite improvements, challenges such as state-by-state regulatory fragmentation continue to impose costs on startups [17] Future Outlook - The next phase of U.S. crypto leadership will rely on builders to leverage the opened doors of policy, with the potential for significant economic growth if they succeed [20] - Consolidating recent gains in market structure legislation and deepening commitments to privacy and decentralization are crucial for future progress [21] - Achieving the goal of becoming the crypto capital of the world is now seen as attainable, contingent on principled and ambitious actions from lawmakers and industry actors [22]

Core Insights - Bybit plans to launch "My Bank," a retail banking service for users who complete Know Your Customer checks, allowing them to have their own international bank account number (IBAN) [1][2] - The service aims to facilitate transactions in multiple fiat currencies, enabling users to send and receive funds, receive salaries, pay bills, and trade digital assets seamlessly [2][3] - Bybit is collaborating with various banking providers to launch this service, targeting a February release [3][4] Company Expansion - Bybit currently has 82 million users across 181 countries but is not operational in the U.S. and Canada, with ambitions to expand into the Americas and pursue a public listing on Wall Street [5] - The introduction of My Bank represents a significant move for a crypto-native brand to offer traditional financial services, distinguishing it from neobanks like Robinhood and Revolut [4] Security Context - The launch of My Bank follows a major security incident where $1.4 billion worth of cryptocurrency was stolen, linked to North Korean cybercriminals, marking the largest hack in the industry's history [6]

Financial Performance - For Q4 2025, net revenues increased by 15%, with value-added services and solutions net revenue up 22% on a non-GAAP currency-neutral basis [4][22] - Operating income rose by 17%, while net income and EPS increased by 17% and 20% respectively, driven by strong operating income growth and a positive discrete tax item [23] - EPS for the quarter was $4.76, including a $0.10 contribution from share repurchases [23] Business Line Performance - Payment network net revenue increased by 9%, driven by domestic and cross-border transaction and volume growth [25] - Value-added services and solutions net revenue grew by 22%, with acquisitions contributing approximately 3 percentage points to this growth [26] - Commercial credit and debit volumes represented 13% of total gross dollar volume (GDV) and grew at 11% year-over-year on a local currency basis [14] Market Performance - Worldwide gross dollar volume (GDV) increased by 7% year-over-year, with U.S. GDV up by 4% and international volume up by 9% [24] - Cross-border volume increased by 14% globally, reflecting growth in both travel and non-travel-related spending [24] - Contactless penetration stood at 77% of all in-person switched purchase transactions, up 5 percentage points from the previous year [25] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is focused on executing its clear strategy, making strong progress against strategic pillars, and benefiting from a diversified business model [5][22] - The company continues to innovate and adapt to changing environments, including the emergence of stablecoins and agentic commerce [10][11] - The competitive landscape remains robust, with the company emphasizing differentiation through its payment network capabilities and value-added services [56] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains optimistic about the fundamentals of the business despite geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties [5][30] - The company expects net revenues to grow at the high end of a low double digits range on a currency-neutral basis for 2026, with a tailwind from foreign exchange [30] - Management highlighted a disciplined capital planning approach and the ability to navigate diverse environments as key strengths [30] Other Important Information - The company secured various new multi-year government grants that will benefit operating expenses and other income [23] - A one-time restructuring charge of approximately $200 million is expected in Q1 2026, impacting about 4% of full-time employees globally [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Details on the Capital One renegotiation - Management expressed excitement about the extension of the credit portfolio agreement with Capital One, emphasizing the value of the Mastercard network [35][36] Question: Implications of the CCCA - Management noted that there is a united opposition to the proposed Credit Card Competition Act, emphasizing the risks associated with it [37][39] Question: Consumer health and spending patterns - Management indicated that consumer spending remains healthy, with savvy consumers using loyalty programs effectively [44][46] Question: FX volatility and its impact - Management acknowledged the challenges of predicting FX volatility but emphasized the company's ability to deliver value through currency conversion services [48][50] Question: Growth in value-added services - Management expressed confidence in the continued growth of value-added services, highlighting the interconnectedness with the payment network [51][54]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, net revenues increased by 15% overall, with value-added services and solutions net revenue up 22% on a non-GAAP currency-neutral basis [4][24] - Operating income rose by 17%, while net income and EPS increased by 17% and 20% respectively, driven by strong operating income growth and a positive discrete tax item [24] - Worldwide gross dollar volume (GDV) increased by 7% year-over-year, with U.S. GDV up 4% and international volume up 9% [25][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Payment network net revenue increased by 9%, driven by domestic and cross-border transaction growth, while value-added services and solutions net revenue increased by 22% [26][28] - Commercial credit and debit volumes represented 13% of total GDV, growing at 11% year-over-year on a local currency basis [14] - Transaction processing assessments were up 14%, while switch transactions grew by 10% [28][29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cross-border volume increased by 14% globally, reflecting growth in both travel and non-travel-related spending [25] - Contactless penetration stood at 77% of all in-person switched purchase transactions, up 5 percentage points from the previous year [26] - Card growth was 6%, with 3.7 billion Mastercard and Maestro branded cards issued globally [26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on executing its clear strategy, making strong progress against strategic pillars, and benefiting from a diversified business model [4][5] - A strategic review will lead to reductions in some areas but will also result in increased investment and focus in others [5] - The company is actively engaging in emerging opportunities such as stablecoins and agentic commerce, positioning itself as a leader in the payments evolution [11][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Despite geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, the company remains optimistic about its execution and business fundamentals [5][32] - The macroeconomic environment is supportive, with balanced job markets underpinning healthy consumer and business spending [32] - For 2026, the company expects net revenues to grow at the high end of a low double digits range on a currency-neutral basis, with a tailwind from foreign exchange [32][33] Other Important Information - The company secured various new multi-year government grants that will benefit operating expenses and other income [24] - A one-time restructuring charge of approximately $200 million is expected in Q1, impacting about 4% of full-time employees globally [35] - The company continues to innovate, launching new services such as Mastercard Credit Intelligence and Mastercard Agent Suite [21][22] Q&A Session Questions and Answers Question: Details on the Capital One renegotiation - The company is excited about extending its credit portfolio agreement with Capital One, emphasizing the value of the Mastercard network [37][38] Question: Implications of the CCCA - The company views the CCCA as a potential risk to consumer choice and cybersecurity, with a united industry opposition to the proposed bill [39][40][41] Question: Health of the consumer - Consumer spending remains healthy, with savvy consumers utilizing loyalty programs and data to make informed spending decisions [46][48] Question: Sensitivity to FX rate moves - The company acknowledges the difficulty in predicting FX volatility but emphasizes its ability to deliver value to customers regardless of market conditions [50][51] Question: VAS growth trends - The company is encouraged by the growth in value-added services, which are closely linked to the performance of the payment network [52][53][56]

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In the beginning of the month, we got a big update from Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple. And this basically confirmed everything that we have been talking about for years, which is of course the internet of value still being the main goal of ripples. Now, within this, we did get a few breakdowns regarding how successful, you know, 2025 was for Ripple regarding the acquisitions and things like that.Obviously, Ripple Prime and G Treasury, two of the largest ones. Um but the main thing that he said about ...