Visa corporate structure

"Visa offers through its issuing members the following types of cards:

* Debit cards (pay from a checking / savings account) (aka "pay now")
* Credit cards (pay monthly payments with interest) (aka "pay later")
* Prepaid cards (pay from a cash account that has no checkwriting privileges) (aka "pay before")

Visa operates the PLUS ATM network and the Interlink EFTPOS network, which facilitate the "debit" protocol used with debit cards and prepaid cards.

Visa's corporate structure is regionally de-centralised, which is unique in the payment scheme industry.

Legally, Visa comprises four non-stock, separately incorporated companies that employ 6000 people worldwide: Visa International Service Association ("VISA"), the worldwide parent entity; Visa U.S.A. Inc.; Visa Canada Association; and Visa Europe Ltd. The latter three separately incorporated regions have the status of group members of Visa International Service Association, whereas the unincorporated regions (Visa Latin America [LAC], Visa Asia Pacific and Visa Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa [CEMEA]) are divisions within VISA.

The de-centralised nature of Visa allows it to respond to member needs and adapt the Visa International rules and products to suit the individual needs of their regional members. Regional banks therefore have a strong stake in the governance of their region.

The Visa International Board has the dual responsibilities of:

1. Superintendence of the worldwide interests of the Association
2. Strategic direction and supervision of the three unincorporated divisions and the central staff of Visa Worldwide services.


The Visa Association is not a profit- driven organisation and the four companies that make up Visa issue no cards and make no loans. Members (about 21,000 worldwide) fund day to day management and make the investments needed to maintain and develop the Visa payment system. Fees are levied according to the following formula:

Operating and Marketing costs
+ Investments in new products, platforms and systems
+ Increase in Reserves
= Members annual fees"
From Wikipedia.org