Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories with fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. The company operates VisaNet, one of the world's most advanced processing networks, capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages per second, with fraud protection for the consumer and payment assurance for the merchant. Visa is not a bank and therefore does not issue cards, provide credit or set fees and charges for consumers.