Visa is reportedly in the final stages of talks to acquire Fireblocks, a cryptocurrency infrastructure firm, in a transaction valued at approximately $2.5 billion — a potential deal that would expand the payments company's capabilities in digital asset custody and stablecoin payment infrastructure on a global scale.

According to a report published by Axios on October 22, 2026, which cited people familiar with the discussions, the negotiations have progressed to a late stage. Neither Visa nor Fireblocks has officially confirmed that an agreement has been reached, and the terms under discussion may still be subject to change.

What Fireblocks Does

Founded in 2017, Fireblocks specializes in digital asset security and financial infrastructure. Its technology helps banks, payment companies, and other businesses securely store, transfer, and manage digital assets and cryptocurrency transactions. That safekeeping function — known in the industry as custody — has become a key building block for traditional financial institutions entering the digital asset space, since it allows them to offer crypto-related services without building the underlying security technology themselves.

The proposed $2.5 billion valuation is well below the $8 billion valuation Fireblocks carried in January 2022, when the company reached that figure in a Series E financing round. The proposed price would therefore represent a substantial step down from that earlier mark — less than a third of the figure set at that round.

If completed, the acquisition would give Visa direct access to tools designed to facilitate cryptocurrency payments and could enable the company to build more robust connections between conventional payment systems and blockchain networks. Fireblocks provides its technology for the secure storage and transfer of digital assets to institutional customers, and these services could appeal to financial institutions that want to offer crypto-related products without developing all of the underlying systems themselves.

Part of Visa's Broader Crypto and Stablecoin Push

The potential acquisition aligns with Visa's continued expansion into cryptocurrency and stablecoin services. The company recently partnered with crypto financial infrastructure firm Mesh to strengthen its stablecoin payment capabilities.

Stablecoins are digital currencies designed to maintain a stable value, typically by pegging to a traditional currency such as the US dollar. They can facilitate the transfer of funds through blockchain networks.

In July, Visa launched a stablecoin management platform that enables traditional banks to issue, trade, and settle stablecoins. Adding Fireblocks' existing stablecoin payment infrastructure could further support Visa's efforts to integrate traditional financial services with blockchain-based payment systems.

Diversifying Beyond Card Payments

Should the deal go through, it would allow Visa to diversify its core card payment business, gaining additional technology for handling digital assets and blockchain-based transfers. Fireblocks provides tools that enable businesses to secure digital assets and control transactions — capabilities that could prove useful to financial institutions wishing to offer crypto products without building every system in-house.

It is worth noting that the acquisition would not constitute a purchase of a cryptocurrency exchange. Fireblocks' primary business is providing technology and infrastructure to companies that handle digital assets.

The proposed deal also reflects the evolving conditions of the cryptocurrency market. Rather than focusing on trading alone, businesses are now placing greater emphasis on financial infrastructure — the technology used to conduct secure transactions and deliver digital asset services. The companies have yet to reach a final agreement and have not disclosed the terms of the transaction.

Overall, a completed acquisition could strengthen Visa's role in digital asset custody and stablecoin payments. Until Visa or Fireblocks issue an official announcement, however, investors and customers will have to wait for confirmation of the deal and its terms. If an agreement is signed, a transaction of this size would typically still be subject to standard regulatory review before it could close — another milestone for observers to track as the story develops.

Source: Live Bitcoin News