Visa to Bring Privacy-Preserving Payments to Canton Network
3/25/2026
That move goes straight to a core challenge for financial institutions: the same transparency that gives blockchains their appeal can clash with privacy expectations financial institutions operate under. Canton Network, a blockchain built for regulated finance, has privacy built in from the beginning, so organizations can use shared infrastructure without exposing sensitive information.
As a Super Validator,
“Many banks see the lack of privacy as a dealbreaker for moving meaningful activity onchain,” said Rubail Birwadker, Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships,
Today, Canton has gained wide adoption across capital markets, powering the issuance and trading of tokenized financial assets. With
About the Canton Network
Many financial institutions have avoided public blockchains because anyone can see transaction details, raising concerns about transparency, data leaks, and compliance.
Canton’s configurable privacy model is designed for real-world use cases – banks can’t run payroll if salaries are public and trading firms can’t reveal every position and trade without hurting price discovery. Canton combines strong privacy with the ability to connect different applications and assets on the same network. Institutions can adopt blockchain without compromising confidentiality or control.
“Canton was built to meet the requirements of regulated finance from day one,” said
Visa’s Broader Stablecoin Strategy
Visa’s participation builds on its existing digital asset and stablecoin work, including:
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stablecoin settlement, which has reached an annualized run rate of
$4.6 billion globally - stablecoin‑linked cards, with more than 130 programs across more than 50 countries
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a specialized Stablecoins Advisory Practice by
Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA), advising clients ranging from financial institutions to fintechs on stablecoin strategy and onchain capabilities. VCA can help clients assess how participation in Canton Network and other initiatives align with their objectives.
With
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the Canton Network?
Canton is a public, permissionless blockchain network designed to meet the stringent requirements of regulated financial institutions, enabling privacy‑preserving transactions on shared infrastructure with institutional‑grade governance.
Q: Why is a privacy-preserving blockchain necessary?
Many financial institutions have been cautious about public blockchains due to privacy, compliance, and governance concerns. Banks can’t run payroll if salaries are public, and trading firms can’t transact if positions, collateral, or margin movements are visible. As a privacy-enabled but public blockchain network, Canton allows assets like these to move freely without exposing confidential data.
Q: What is a super validator and why is that important?
On blockchains, validators help verify transactions and maintain network integrity. On Canton Network, a Super Validator is a selective role reserved for highly trusted institutions that help steward core network infrastructure and contribute value to the Canton ecosystem through increased network activity.
Q: What is Visa’s role as a Super Validator?
As a Super Validator, with voting powers to shape the future of Canton’s network decisions,
Q: Why now?
Visa’s participation helps banks use blockchain without exposing sensitive financial data. That will help transform blockchain technology to real‑world, institutional use.
Q: Who benefits?
Banks, large enterprises, and regulated financial institutions exploring blockchain‑based payment, settlement, and treasury use cases that require privacy, security, and compliance.
Q: What’s next?
About
About Canton Network
The Canton Network is the only public, permissionless blockchain purpose-built for institutional finance–uniquely combining privacy, compliance, and scalability. Governed by the
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Canton Media Contacts
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