Visa today unveiled Visa & Main, a comprehensive platform aimed at empowering U.S. small businesses by addressing their top three challenges: access to capital, customer acquisition and digital transformation. The platform integrates Visa’s global payments network with partner expertise, offering a one-stop solution for entrepreneurs. At launch events in San Francisco and Atlanta, Visa executives highlighted plans for local activations, workshops and direct engagement with merchants throughout 2026, signaling a multi-year commitment to small business growth.

To tackle financing gaps—43% of small businesses cite lack of funds as a growth barrier—Visa has committed $100 million to a working capital facility managed by community lender Lendistry. The facility will provide flexible, low-cost loans to undercapitalized businesses, with eligibility expanded over the coming months to include targeted grant programs and specialized support for women- and minority-owned enterprises. Lendistry CEO Everett K. Sands emphasized that the injection of capital can serve as an “infusion of oxygen” for local economies, projecting that thousands of businesses will benefit in its first year.

Visa & Main leverages the company’s sponsorship portfolio—including its role as Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA—to help small merchants boost visibility before and during major events. Initial activations include the “Square Stops Here” bus tour in San Francisco, which spotlighted over 50 local businesses during a high-traffic weekend. Visa plans to roll out marketing toolkits, digital signage packages and in-market workshops in key FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities, enabling merchants to convert event foot traffic into sustained revenue growth.

Recognizing uneven technology adoption, Visa & Main offers small businesses access to digital payment acceptance through Visa’s Acceptance Network, expense-management solutions via partner platforms, and AI-driven advisory tools for financial planning. Risk-mitigation features include streamlined dispute management and fraud-detection services. At the Atlanta launch, more than 200 merchants participated in hands-on demos and learning sessions, with many citing newfound confidence in implementing cloud-based payments and invoicing systems. Visa plans to add e-learning modules and peer-networking forums by Q3 2026.