Visa, a global leader in digital payments, announced the introduction of the Visa Tokenized Asset Platform (VTAP), a new solution designed to help financial institutions issue and manage fiat-backed tokens on blockchain networks.
"We're excited to leverage our experience with tokenization to help banks integrate blockchain technologies into their operations," said Vanessa Colella, Global Head of Innovation and Digital Partnerships at Visa.
Visa aims to "facilitate seamless transactions of fiat currencies" and its network and technologies to "enable banks to issue and transfer fiat-backed tokens over blockchain networks."
The introduction of VTAP underscores the evolving landscape of digital finance, emphasizing the increasing convergence between traditional banking and blockchain technology.
Visa's initiative is set to play a pivotal role in digitizing and automating existing financial workflows. It is expected to influence market dynamics and set new standards for digital asset transactions within the financial industry.
BBVA, one of the leading banks collaborating with Visa on this project, has been testing VTAP's core functionalities throughout the year.
"We are proud to continue spearheading the exploration of tokenized solutions with Visa through its VTAP platform," said Francisco Maroto, Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets at BBVA.
"This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our exploration of the potential of blockchain technology and will ultimately help enable us to broaden our banking services and expand the market with new financial solutions." Maroto further stated.
According to a Bain & Company report, by leveraging tokenization, the alternative investment market could reach over 500 million potential investors globally.