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Visa Expands Smartphone Payments for Small Businesses
Visa has unveiled new digital payment capabilities that transform smartphones into complete payment hubs, enabling small businesses to accept card payments and send money without investing in additional hardware.
The new capabilities, introduced through Visa Accept and Visa Direct, aim to simplify digital payments for micro-enterprises, street vendors, and growing merchants across emerging markets. The solutions allow business owners to use their smartphones to accept payments, manage cash flow, and make real-time payouts.
The announcement comes as smartphone usage and digital commerce continue to reshape how small businesses operate, particularly in markets where access to traditional point-of-sale infrastructure remains limited.
Smartphone Becomes a Business Tool
Visa Accept enables merchants to convert their smartphones into payment terminals, allowing customers to pay using contactless Visa cards or payment links without requiring external card readers.
Payments settle directly into the seller’s Visa debit or prepaid account in near real time, giving businesses faster access to working capital.
Shahebaz Khan, Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial and Money Movement Solutions for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Visa, said the company is reimagining the role smartphones play in business.
“Every tap, scan and swipe is now a defining moment in the customer relationship, and small businesses can’t afford for payments to get in the way. We see a future where a single smartphone is all a seller needs to accept any way customers want to pay, gain valuable business insights, and confidently run their business,” he said.
Visa said buyers continue to enjoy the same security, reliability, and dispute protection associated with Visa card payments, whether shopping from a street vendor or a large retailer.
According to Visa’s Global SMB Macro Trends Report, 99 percent of surveyed small businesses already use at least one digital financial tool, while 85 percent say these tools have improved their operations.
The report also found that around 530 million of the world’s 1.3 billion unbanked adults already own smartphones, creating significant opportunities to expand financial inclusion.
Faster Payouts for Businesses
Alongside Visa Accept, the company has expanded Visa Direct, allowing businesses to make real-time payments directly from their smartphones.
The solution enables merchants to pay employees, contractors, suppliers, and delivery partners, process customer refunds, and transfer funds across borders through eligible bank accounts, cards, and digital wallets.
Visa said integrating both payment acceptance and payouts into one device reduces complexity while improving efficiency for businesses managing daily operations.
The company also highlighted the importance of faster access to cash. Its research found that one in five small businesses experiences cash flow gaps every month, while nearly 28 percent reported difficulties accessing credit or financing during the past year.
Kenya Among Next Markets
Visa Accept is already available in more than 25 countries through several banking partners.
In Africa, Co-operative Bank of Kenya will roll out the service in the coming weeks alongside Access Bank, Omni Bank, and Universal Merchant Bank in Ghana.
Visa expects the platform to reach millions of merchants globally by 2027 as demand for affordable digital payment solutions continues to grow.
The expansion reflects the company’s broader strategy of supporting financial inclusion by helping small businesses digitize payments using devices they already own.
As digital commerce accelerates across emerging markets, Visa believes smartphones will increasingly become the primary financial tool for entrepreneurs, allowing them to accept payments, access funds faster, and manage their businesses from a single device.
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