Visa Inc. is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure
and reliable electronic payments. We operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — that is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, pay ahead with prepaid or pay later with credit products.

Visa’s vision is to be the best way to pay and be paid for everyone everywhere. Our business
primarily consists of the following:

• We provide processing services to our financial institution clients through VisaNet, a centralized and modular payments network providing three essential functions in one
  complete, flexible package: transaction processing services, risk management services and information services.
• We continually look at how we can use our network breadth and payment expertise to extend the value of electronic payments so more people can use Visa in more ways and in more places around the world.
• We develop payment products, which our financial institution clients use to offer consumers greater choice in how they pay – pay ahead with prepaid, pay now with debit or pay later with credit.
• We own and manage the Visa brand, which provides the assurance of acceptance at merchant outlets and ATMs in countries and territories worldwide.

With the expanding use of electronic payments, people’s daily lives improve, businesses operate more smoothly and governments become more efficient by partnering with local financial
institutions, merchants, governments, non-governmental organizations and business organizations to provide tailored solutions to meet their varied needs.

Although Visa’s history dates back as far as 1958 with the launch of the first BankAmericard, the Visa brand itself was first formed in 1976. At that time it consisted of two brands: Visa USA,
which served the US market under the leadership of Dee Hock, and Visa International which served the rest of world. In 2007, the company restructured to form Visa Inc., bringing the US
and Canada together along with the AP, LAC and CEMEA regions. Visa became a public listed company in 2008 when the company was named Visa Inc. In 2016, Visa Inc. acquired Visa
2 Europe, a separate entity prior, making it one unified company.