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Hesab to Launch Visa Pay Virtual Cards, Connecting Digital Money to Everyday Spending

Major virtual card rollout will enable eligible Hesab users to spend their balances online and in stores everywhere Visa is accepted.

Kabul, Afghanistan — July 24, 2026 — Hesab, the global digital payments platform, today announced the launch of Hesab Visa Pay virtual cards in Afghanistan, marking a significant expansion of the company’s mission to make digital money accessible and practical for everyday use.

Connecting digital balances to everyday commerce

The phased rollout will give eligible Hesab users in supported markets a direct way to spend funds held in their Hesab accounts. Cardholders will be able to make purchases online and at physical merchants wherever Visa is accepted, connecting Hesab’s digital payment infrastructure with everyday commerce.

“Financial access should not end with the ability to receive or store money. People must also be able to use their money easily in their daily lives,” said Sanzar Kakar, Chairman of Hesab. “The launch of Hesab Visa Pay cards represents an important step toward turning digital balances into real purchasing power. With our ambition to launch one million of these virtual cards, we envision this solution will give more people a simple and practical way to participate in the global economy.”

Expanding how Hesab users spend their money

The card programme is designed to expand the utility of Hesab accounts by reducing the need for users to withdraw funds before making everyday purchases. It will support a range of payment needs, including household spending, online purchases, travel expenses, and cross-border commerce.

• Online and in-store payments

  Eligible users will be able to pay online and at physical merchants wherever Visa is accepted.

• Direct access to Hesab balances

  Users can spend funds held in their Hesab accounts without first withdrawing them as cash.

• Cross-border commerce

  The cards will make it easier for users to participate in the global digital economy.

Building on Hesab’s existing scale

Hesab currently accepts funding through more than 20 payment channels and processes the equivalent of approximately USD $160 million through more than one million transactions each month.

The launch of Visa Pay virtual cards builds on this existing scale and extends Hesab’s services from digital transfers and stored value to direct consumer spending.

“Hesab was built to address the financial barriers faced by people in markets where traditional banking services remain expensive, slow, or difficult to access,” Kakar added. “This rollout is about delivering the final mile of financial access at scale—giving users greater freedom over how, when, and where they use their money.”

Making payments easier for pilgrims

Every year, more than 20 million pilgrims visit Makkah and Madina for Umrah or Hajj. Many carry cash from their home countries and face difficulties converting it into local currency, as well as the challenge of safely carrying cash while in ihram.

By enabling virtual Hesab Visa Pay cards on their phones, eligible pilgrims can tap to pay for daily expenses and receive additional funds from home through Visa Direct.

Advancing Hesab’s Global Self-Custody Bank strategy

The cards form part of Hesab’s broader strategy to build a Global Self-Custody Bank that gives users greater ownership and control over their financial assets.

Hesab combines digital accounts, cross-border payment capabilities, multiple funding channels, and card-based spending within a single financial platform.

Visa’s perspective

“This solution helps organizations deliver funds securely, efficiently, and transparently to the people who need them most, while enabling recipients to use those funds seamlessly for everyday purchases online, in stores, and across borders wherever Visa is accepted. By connecting disbursements to globally accepted Visa credentials, we help expand financial inclusion, reduce reliance on cash, and make digital money efficient and secure in everyday life,” said Umar Khan, Visa’s Country Manager for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

About Hesab

Hesab is a global digital payments platform that enables users to send, receive, store, and spend money across borders in a fast, low-cost, and user-controlled way.

Founded in 2018 by Sanzar Kakar, Hesab accepts funding through more than 20 channels and provides access to more than 100 services, ranging from bill payments to mobile top-ups.

The company is building a Global Self-Custody Bank on the Movement blockchain, designed to provide greater financial access and ownership to users around the world. With Movement, Hesab can settle transactions in real time with a dozen different providers.

For more information, visit hesab.com.