Visa vs Walmart: Founders, CEOs and History
Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney. Walmart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton and is led by John Furner.
Company facts
Founders
Visa
Dee Hock
Dee Hock (1929-2022) was the founding CEO of National BankAmericard Inc., the bank-owned company that took over the BankAmericard licensing system from Bank of America in 1970 and adopted the Visa name in 1976.
Walmart
Sam Walton
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and built the company around low prices, low costs, and its own distribution network. He served as CEO until 1988 and remained chairman until his death in 1992.
CEOs and their tenures
Visa
- Alfred F. Kelly Jr.2016–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2016 to 2023, he heavily modernized the massive legacy network, aggressively integrating fintechs and preparing the network to process highly complex cryptocurrency transactions.
Source - Ryan McInerney2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
McInerney joined Visa in 2013 as president after senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and became chief executive on February 1, 2023, succeeding Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Source
Walmart
- Sam Walton1962–1988
Founder and CEO
Founded Walmart and set its low-price, low-cost operating approach.
Source - Doug McMillon2014–2026
Former President and CEO
Led Walmart's push into ecommerce, marketplace, advertising, and store-fulfilled delivery, and oversaw the Jet.com, Flipkart, and VIZIO deals.
Source - Greg Penner2015–present
Chairman of the Board
He successfully managed the transition of corporate leadership to Doug McMillon and actively oversees the Walton family's controlling stake in the retail giant.
Source - John David Rainey2022–present
Executive Vice President and CFO
As CFO, he aggressively executed multi-billion-dollar share repurchases while funding massive capital expenditures for store remodels and automation.
Source - John Furner2026–present
President and CEO
Became President and CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Doug McMillon. He reshaped the executive team with internal promotions in January 2026.
Source - David Guggina2026–present
President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
As head of supply chain operations, he modernized the underlying logistics network that allowed Walmart to successfully compete with Amazon's two-day delivery speeds.
Source
Timeline: Visa and Walmart side by side
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
1962Walmart
First Walmart Opens
Sam Walton opens the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas.
1970Walmart
Walmart Goes Public
Walmart sells shares to the public to fund expansion.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
1983Walmart
Sam's Club Launches
The first Sam's Club warehouse club opens in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
1988Walmart
First Supercenter and New CEO
Walmart opens its first supercenter, and David Glass succeeds Sam Walton as CEO.
2000Walmart
Lee Scott Becomes CEO
Lee Scott succeeds David Glass as CEO.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2014Walmart
Doug McMillon Becomes CEO
Doug McMillon, who started as an hourly associate in 1984, becomes CEO.
2016Visa
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. becomes CEO
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. became CEO of Visa in 2016. Chief executive of Visa from December 2016 to January 2023, when Ryan McInerney succeeded him; Kelly then served as executive chairman.
2016Walmart
Jet.com Acquisition
Walmart buys Jet.com for about $3.3 billion to strengthen its U.S. ecommerce team.
2018Walmart
Flipkart Investment
Walmart acquires a majority stake in Flipkart for about $16 billion.
2020Visa
Acquired Plaid (abandoned)
Visa acquired Plaid (abandoned) for $5.3 billion. Visa agreed in January 2020 to buy US data-connectivity fintech Plaid for USD 5.3 billion.
2022Visa
Tink acquisition
Visa completed its purchase of Stockholm-based open banking platform Tink in March 2022.
2023Visa
Ryan McInerney becomes CEO
Ryan McInerney became Visa's CEO after serving as president.
2024Walmart
VIZIO Acquisition
Walmart completes its $2.3 billion purchase of smart-TV maker VIZIO to expand its advertising business.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
2026Walmart
John Furner Becomes CEO
John Furner succeeds Doug McMillon as President and CEO effective February 1, 2026; David Guggina takes over Walmart U.S.
2026Walmart
Q2 FY27 Results
Walmart reports Q2 FY27 revenue of $187.9 billion, up 5.9%, and raises full-year sales and operating income guidance.
Acquisitions
Questions about Visa vs Walmart
Who is the CEO of Visa Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney and Walmart Inc. is led by John Furner. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Visa Inc. founded vs Walmart Inc.?
Visa Inc. was founded in 1958 — 4 years before Walmart Inc., which was founded in 1962. Visa Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Walmart Inc..
How many employees does Visa Inc. have compared to Walmart Inc.?
Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100 people, while Walmart Inc. employs approximately 2,100,000. Walmart Inc. has the larger workforce at 2,100,000 employees, compared to Visa Inc.'s 34,100. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Visa Inc. and Walmart Inc. headquartered?
Both Visa Inc. and Walmart Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Visa Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock. Walmart Inc. was founded by Sam Walton.
Which company has a longer operating history — Visa Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
Visa Inc. has been operating for approximately 68 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Walmart Inc. has been in operation for around 64 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Visa vs Walmart overview