Spending on crypto-linked cards has surged 500 percent since September 2024, with monthly transaction volumes now consistently reaching approximately $600 million, according to industry data. The growth points to a significant shift in the use of digital assets, moving them from speculative holdings to a functional medium of exchange for everyday consumer purchases.
"Crypto cards are not a trend. They are the next evolution of distribution," TRON founder Justin Sun said in a recent statement. "Stablecoins have already moved beyond wallets into everyday spending at global scale. The next phase is seamless access."
The majority of this volume, over 90 percent, is processed by Visa through partnerships with crypto-native firms. The mechanism typically involves users paying in stablecoins like USDT, while the TRON network acts as a high-throughput, low-cost settlement layer on the backend to provide merchants with instant, fiat-equivalent value. This model removes the friction of crypto-to-fiat conversion at the point of sale.
This trend validates the utility of blockchains built for speed and low-cost transactions, marking a pivotal transition for digital assets from investment instruments to practical payment tools. As consumers increasingly use stablecoin-linked cards for daily expenses, the underlying settlement networks like TRON are positioned to capture significant value from the growing transaction flow.
Visa's Broader Strategy Eclipses Single-Chain Solutions
While TRON has established a strong foothold, the growth in crypto card spending is part of a much larger strategic push by payment giants. Visa has expanded its own stablecoin settlement pilot to nine different blockchains, including Base, Polygon, and Solana, demonstrating a chain-agnostic approach to building its crypto infrastructure. The company reported a $7 billion annualized settlement run rate for the program, a 50 percent increase from the previous quarter.
This infrastructure build-out is happening as long-term forecasts predict explosive growth. A 2025 report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis projected that adjusted stablecoin transaction volumes could reach between $719 trillion and $1.5 quadrillion by 2035. The trend is also fostering competition, with newer entrants like Jupiter offering a Solana-based Visa card with stablecoin cashback rewards, which saw its own volume grow 660 percent month-over-month in April.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
