Visa has announced plans to reduce its global headcount by about seven percent, roughly 2,600 employees. The company says the move is intended to improve efficiency and to adapt to changes accelerated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The reductions will primarily affect technology and product development teams. In an internal message to staff, Chief Executive Officer Ryan McInerney wrote that Visa needs to continuously evolve its operating model to capitalise on upcoming opportunities and to maintain its leadership position in digital payments. He noted that AI is accelerating the transformation and increasingly shaping how employees do their work.
While Visa cites AI as a driver of the reorganisation, Bloomberg reported that AI is not the sole cause of the layoffs. Automation has reduced repetitive tasks and sped up product development, but other cost-efficiency and organisational considerations also contributed to the decision.
According to Visa’s 2025 annual report, the company employed about 34,100 people at that time, an eight percent increase from the prior year. The current round of cuts represents a shift toward cost efficiency and structural reorganisation.
Industry context
Visa’s action comes amid similar moves across the sector. Mastercard earlier this year reduced its global workforce by about four percent, citing a reallocation of investments. The fintech company Block disclosed in February that it would lay off nearly 4,000 employees.
Market reaction and reporting schedule
Visa is scheduled to release its latest quarterly results after the market close on Tuesday. The company’s shares traded about one percent higher in post-open trading on Tuesday, and were up a little more than three percent year-to-date in 2026. That performance lags the broader market but outpaces its largest rival, Mastercard, so far this year.
Note on Hungarian market developments
Related to digital payments adoption, the Click to Pay solution is arriving on the Hungarian market to streamline and secure online payments. The rollout may affect several million Hungarian consumers as the service expands.
According to Visa’s statements and internal communication, the reorganisation is intended to boost efficiency and align the company with AI-driven changes, while market indicators show investors are responding to the announcement.
