New York, Feb 23, 2026, 15:58 EST — Regular session.
- Visa shares dropped roughly 4.5% in late afternoon, tracking losses across U.S. financials.
- Visa’s bid to acquire a 51% stake in Mexican payments processor Prosa hit a wall after the country’s antitrust commission shot down the deal.
- Investors eye Visa’s plans for Mexico, along with its scheduled appearance at an investor conference on March 3.
Visa Inc (V) dropped 4.5% to $306.64 late Monday, echoing losses across U.S. financials. Shares kicked off at $317.09, then dipped as low as $304.97 during the session.
Visa had billed the Prosa stake as a chance to dig further into Mexico. That looks uncertain again after the outright rejection, leaving its regional strategy unresolved. All this hit just as trade and inflation headlines shook up risk appetite, sending major financial stocks lower.
Visa’s bid to buy a 51% stake in Prosa has been blocked by Mexico’s National Antitrust Commission, according to a Zacks update on Nasdaq.com. Regulators flagged fears over too much market power and the potential exposure of sensitive data. Visa had aimed to combine its network with Prosa’s Carnet platform, a move that would have handed it sway over two of Mexico’s four main card-payment clearinghouses — the backbone for transaction routing and settlement.
The commission said the deal might take out a direct rival, since Visa already handles its own processing in the country, and could hurt Carnet’s standing as a cheaper card alternative, according to El Financiero. Prosa is responsible for processing over 10 billion transactions each year, the outlet noted, with shareholders including Banorte, HSBC Mexico, Santander Mexico, and Scotiabank Mexico.
Visa called the decision “disappointing” and said it’s weighing its next steps. In a statement, the firm argued, “We firmly believe that the combination of Visa and Prosa would significantly accelerate competition in the market.” Visa Corporate
Visa’s push into Latin America hit a snag in Mexico, but the company isn’t letting up. Just last week, it inked an agreement to acquire Prisma and Newpay, two payment platforms owned by Advent International, aiming to strengthen its position in Argentina. Reuters says that deal should wrap up in the first quarter of 2026.
Visa slid along with broader U.S. stocks, rattled by a Supreme Court decision on tariffs and fresh trade threats from President Donald Trump that stirred up fears about shifting policies. “This adds a level of uncertainty because it calls into question the trade deals that have been made,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird. Reuters
Other payments stocks took a hit as well. Mastercard dropped roughly 6.3%, American Express slid 7.3%. PayPal, on the other hand, climbed 5.5%.
This story isn’t settled yet. A resolution in Mexico could help Visa move past the Prosa setback, while tougher rules or fee caps from regulators would keep pressure on the shares. Both Visa and Mastercard are still working to wrap up the new U.S. merchant “swipe fee” settlement — those interchange charges that tend to resurface in regulatory debates. Reuters
Macro watchers are zeroed in on inflation data and rate forecasts, scanning for signals on consumer appetite and international travel—both critical for card network performance. The U.S. producer price index for January drops at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 27, the Labor Department says on its release calendar.
Visa’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer Jack Forestell is slated for a speaking slot at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 3, according to Visa. Market players will be listening for any remarks on Mexico or hints about the company’s approach to dealmaking going forward.
