Do we like them?

Do we like Visa?

Global card payments network that routes card transactions and earns fees; based in the US (San Francisco area).

Our score: 4 out of 10. A dominant toll-booth on world spending, fighting an antitrust case and fee fights. We'd hold back, because most of its power rests on fees merchants and shoppers can't dodge.

Visa doesn't lend you money. It runs the rails that card payments travel on and takes a fee on each one. Ryan McInerney, who joined in 2013 as President, has been CEO since February 2023. He took over from Al Kelly, who became Executive Chairman.

The biggest cloud is the US Justice Department's September 2024 lawsuit. It accuses Visa of monopolising debit cards, with over 60% of the market and more than $7 billion a year in fees. Visa calls it meritless. A judge refused to throw the case out, so it goes on.

Shops have fought Visa and Mastercard over swipe fees since 2005. A revised $38 billion settlement won preliminary approval from a judge in June 2026. Merchant groups say the fee cut is tiny and the deal is full of loopholes. Walmart's lawyer was among those who objected.

Visa also spends on lobbying. Legis1 reported $2.27M of in-house lobbying in early 2025, with the Credit Card Competition Act its main worry. That bill would force a second, non-Visa/Mastercard network option. In 2022 it also suspended ad payments to Pornhub's ad arm after a court ruling.

So why a 4? It's a useful, reliable service, but one that regulators, courts and shops say uses market power to keep fees high. Until the DOJ case and the fee fights play out, we wouldn't back it with our money.