Visa vs Xiaomi: Founders, CEOs and History
Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney. Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by Lei Jun, Lin Bin and is led by Lei Jun.
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.
Xiaomi
Lei Jun
Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 and is its chairman and CEO. He set the company's early strategy of selling well-specified phones online at low prices, built the MIUI user community, and later led Xiaomi's 2018 Hong Kong listing.
Lin Bin
Lin Bin co-founded Xiaomi in 2010 and served as its president, overseeing early phone development and supply-chain relationships. He handed the president role to others in 2019 and continued as vice chairman of the board.
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
Xiaomi
- Lei Jun2010–present
Founder, Chairman and CEO
Sets Xiaomi's product and ecosystem strategy and leads the EV business.
Source - Lin Bin2010–present
Co-founder and Vice Chairman
Co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun and served as president during its early growth before moving to the vice chairman role.
Source - Lu Weibing2022–present
President
Runs day-to-day operations of the group, having earlier led the Redmi brand and international business.
Source
Timeline: Visa and Xiaomi side by side
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2010Xiaomi
Xiaomi Founded
Lei Jun and seven co-founders establish Xiaomi in Beijing and release the MIUI Android software.
2011Xiaomi
Mi 1 Launches
Xiaomi launches its first smartphone, sold online.
2014Xiaomi
India Entry and $45B Valuation
Xiaomi enters India and raises funding at a reported $45B valuation.
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.
2018Xiaomi
Hong Kong IPO
Xiaomi lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 1810 with a weighted voting rights structure.
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.
2021Xiaomi
EV Entry Announced
Xiaomi announces it will build electric vehicles and sets up a dedicated EV subsidiary.
2021Xiaomi
Acquired DeepMotion
Xiaomi acquired DeepMotion for $77 million. Autonomous-driving technology company acquired to support Xiaomi's EV program.
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.
2024Xiaomi
SU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the SU7 electric sedan in March 2024 and begins deliveries.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
2025Xiaomi
Record Year and YU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the YU7 SUV, delivers 411,082 vehicles, and reports FY2025 revenue of ~$63.6B (RMB457.3B).
2026Xiaomi
Memory Costs Hit Profit
Q1 revenue falls 10.9% to ~$13.8B (RMB99.1B) and Q2 revenue falls 6.1% to ~$15.1B (RMB108.9B) as memory-chip costs squeeze margins.
Acquisitions
Questions about Visa vs Xiaomi
Who is the CEO of Visa Inc. and Xiaomi Corp.?
Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney and Xiaomi Corp. is led by Lei Jun. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Visa Inc. founded vs Xiaomi Corp.?
Visa Inc. was founded in 1958 — 52 years before Xiaomi Corp., which was founded in 2010. Visa Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Xiaomi Corp..
How many employees does Visa Inc. have compared to Xiaomi Corp.?
Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100 people, while Xiaomi Corp. employs approximately 56,531. Xiaomi Corp. has the larger workforce at 56,531 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 Xiaomi Corp. headquartered?
Visa Inc. is headquartered in United States and Xiaomi Corp. is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Visa Inc. and Xiaomi Corp.?
Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock. Xiaomi Corp. was founded by Lei Jun, Lin Bin.
Which company has a longer operating history — Visa Inc. or Xiaomi Corp.?
Visa Inc. has been operating for approximately 68 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Xiaomi Corp. has been in operation for around 16 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 Xiaomi overview