Form of 1.500% Senior Notes due 2026

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Note Agreements
EX-4.1 3 d309621dex41.htm EX-4.1 EX-4.1

Exhibit 4.1

[Form of 1.500% Senior Notes due 2026]

THIS SECURITY IS A REGISTERED GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF USB NOMINEES (UK) LIMITED AS NOMINEE OF ELAVON FINANCIAL SERVICES DAC (THE “COMMON DEPOSITARY”). THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE COMMON DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE COMMON DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE COMMON DEPOSITARY, BY A NOMINEE OF THE COMMON DEPOSITARY TO THE COMMON DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE COMMON DEPOSITARY OR BY THE COMMON DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR COMMON DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR COMMON DEPOSITARY.

UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR BANK, S.A./N.V., AS OPERATOR OF THE EUROCLEAR SYSTEM (“EUROCLEAR”) OR CLEARSTREAM BANKING, SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME (“CLEARSTREAM,” AND TOGETHER WITH EUROCLEAR, “EUROCLEAR / CLEARSTREAM”) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF USB NOMINEES (UK) LIMITED OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR / CLEARSTREAM (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO USB NOMINEES (UK) LIMITED OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF EUROCLEAR / CLEARSTREAM), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL IN AS MUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, USB NOMINEES (UK) LIMITED, HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.


No. R-1    €1,350,000,000
     CUSIP No. 92826C AR3
    

ISIN XS2479941499

Common Code: 247994149

VISA INC.

1.500% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2026

VISA INC., a corporation in existence under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to USB Nominees (UK) Limited as nominee of Elavon Financial Services DAC, a common depositary for Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, the principal sum of €1,350,000,000 on June 15, 2026 (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest on said principal sum annually on June 15, commencing June 15, 2023 (the “Interest Payment Date”), at the rate of 1.500% per annum from June 1, 2022, or from the most recent date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for, until payment of the principal sum has been made or duly provided for. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the record date for such Interest Payment Date, which shall be the June 1 (whether or not a Business Day (as defined below)) next preceding such Interest Payment Date. If the Company defaults in a payment of any such interest, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed any such special record date and payment date to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee and shall promptly mail or cause to be mailed or deliver by electronic transmission to each Holder a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any lawful manner.

Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note will be made at the Place of Payment as more fully provided in the Indenture. Principal and interest payments, including payments made upon any redemption, in respect of this Note will be payable in euro. If the euro is unavailable to the Company due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the Company’s control or if the euro is no longer being used by the then member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of this Note will be made in U.S. dollars until the euro is again available to the Company and so used. In such circumstances, the amount payable on any date in euro will be converted into U.S. dollars on the basis of the then most recently available market exchange rate for euro, as determined by the Company in its sole discretion. Any payment in respect of this Note so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an Event of Default under this Note or the Indenture. Neither the Trustee nor the Paying Agent shall be responsible for any calculation or conversion in connection with the foregoing.

Initially, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, will act as Paying Agent. The Company reserves the right at any time to vary or terminate the appointment of any Paying Agent, to appoint additional or other Paying Agents and to approve any change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.


Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which shall have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place. Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed by manual or facsimile signature under its corporate seal or a facsimile thereof.

Dated:                         , 2022

 

By:    
  Name:
  Title:
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

[seal]
Attest:
 

 


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the Series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:    
  Authorized Signatory
Dated:    


[REVERSE OF NOTE]

VISA INC.

1.500% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2026

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more Series under an Indenture dated as of December 14, 2015 (herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities, the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, and the definition of capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series, which different Series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may be denominated in different currencies, may mature at different times, may bear interest (if any) at different rates (which rates may be fixed or variable), may be subject to different redemption provisions (if any), may be subject to different sinking, purchase, or analogous funds (if any), may be subject to different covenants and Events of Default, and may otherwise vary as provided in the Indenture. This Note is one of a Series of Securities of the Company designated as set forth on the face hereof (herein called the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to €1,350,000,000.

Interest on the Notes will be payable annually in arrears on each Interest Payment Date. If any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any earlier repayment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest and/or principal that would otherwise be payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding Business Day. No interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from such Interest Payment Date, Maturity Date or earlier repayment date, as the case may be, to the date payment is made. Interest will be computed on the basis of the actual number of days in the period for which interest is being calculated and the actual number of days from and including the date from which interest begins to accrue for the period (or from June 1, 2022 if no interest has been paid on the Notes) to, but excluding, the next scheduled Interest Payment Date. This payment convention is referred to as ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) as defined in the rulebook of the International Capital Markets Association.

Optional Redemption and Redemption for Tax Reasons

The Notes shall be redeemable as a whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time and from time to time prior to May 15, 2026 (the “Par Call Date”), at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest up to and including the Par Call Date, calculated as if the Notes matured on the Par Call Date (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the redemption date on an annual basis (ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA)) at the applicable Comparable Government Bond Rate (as defined below) plus 20 basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

 

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The Notes shall be redeemable as a whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time and from time to time on or after the Par Call Date, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, (1) which is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or the City of London are authorized or required by law or executive order to close and (2) on which the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer system (the TARGET2 system), or any successor thereto, operates. If any Interest Payment Date, the maturity date or any Redemption Date is not a Business Day, then the related payment for such Interest Payment Date, maturity date or Redemption Date shall be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, maturity date or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and no further interest shall accrue as a result of such delay.

Comparable Government Bond Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield (rounded to three decimal places, with 0.0005 being rounded upwards) of the Comparable Government Bond (as defined below) on the third Business Day prior to the Redemption Date, calculated on the basis of the middle market price of the Comparable Government Bond prevailing at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such Business Day as determined by an independent investment bank selected by the Company and calculated in accordance with generally accepted market practice at such time.

Comparable Government Bond” means, with respect to Notes redeemed prior to the Par Call Date, in relation to any Comparable Government Bond Rate calculation, at the discretion of an independent investment bank selected by the Company, a bond that is a direct obligation of the Federal Republic of Germany (a “German government bond”) whose maturity is closest to the Par Call Date of the Notes or if such independent investment bank in its discretion considers that such similar bond is not in issue, such other German government bond as such independent investment bank may, with the advice of three brokers of, and/or market makers in, German government bonds selected by the Company, determine to be appropriate for determining the Comparable Government Bond Rate.

If, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated under the laws) of the United States (or any taxing authority in the United States), or any change in, or amendments to, an official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, which change or amendment is announced or becomes effective on or after May 24, 2022, the Company becomes or, based upon a written opinion of independent counsel selected by the Company, will become obligated to pay additional amounts as described below with respect to the Notes, then the Company may at any time at its option redeem, in whole, but not in part, the Notes at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of their principal amount, together with accrued and unpaid interest on those Notes to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.


The Company will, subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth below, pay as additional interest on the Notes such additional amounts as are necessary in order that the net payment by the Company of the principal of and interest on the Notes to a Holder who is not a United States person (as defined below), after withholding or deduction for any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by the United States or a taxing authority in the United States, will not be less than the amount provided in the Notes to be then due and payable; provided, however, that the foregoing obligation to pay additional amounts shall not apply:

1. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed by reason of the holder (or the beneficial owner for whose benefit such holder holds such note), or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the holder if the holder is an estate, trust, partnership or corporation, or a person holding a power over an estate or trust administered by a fiduciary holder, being considered as:

a. being or having been engaged in a trade or business in the United States or having or having had a permanent establishment in the United States;

b. having a current or former connection with the United States (other than a connection arising solely as a result of the ownership of the notes, the receipt of any payment or the enforcement of any rights hereunder), including being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States;

c. being or having been a personal holding company, a passive foreign investment company or a controlled foreign corporation for United States federal income tax purposes or a corporation that has accumulated earnings to avoid United States federal income tax;

d. being or having been a “10-percent shareholder” of the Company as defined in Section 871(h)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any successor provision; or

e. being a bank receiving payments on an extension of credit made pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business;

2. to any holder that is not the sole beneficial owner of the notes, or a portion of the notes, or that is a fiduciary, partnership or limited liability company, but only to the extent that a beneficial owner with respect to the holder, a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, or a beneficial owner or member of the partnership or limited liability company would not have been entitled to the payment of an additional amount had the beneficiary, settlor, beneficial owner or member received directly its beneficial or distributive share of the payment;

3. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure of the holder or any other person to comply with certification, identification or information reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with the United States of the holder or beneficial owner of the notes, if compliance is required by statute, by regulation of the United States or any taxing authority therein or by an applicable income tax treaty to which the United States is a party as a precondition to exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge;


4. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed otherwise than by withholding by us or a paying agent from the payment;

5. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for a change in law, regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation that becomes effective more than 15 days after the payment becomes due or is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;

6. to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, excise, transfer, wealth, capital gains or personal property tax or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

7. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by any paying agent from any payment of principal of or interest on any note, if such payment can be made without such withholding by at least one other paying agent;

8. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the presentation by the holder of any note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;

9. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed or withheld solely by reason of the beneficial owner being a bank (i) purchasing the notes in the ordinary course of its lending business or (ii) that is neither (A) buying the notes for investment purposes only nor (B) buying the notes for resale to a third-party that either is not a bank or holding the notes for investment purposes only;

10. to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed under Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code (or any amended or successor provisions), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such sections of the Code; or

11. in the case of any combination of items (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9) and (10).

The Notes are subject in all cases to any tax, fiscal or other law or regulation or administrative or judicial interpretation applicable to the Notes. Except as noted above, the Company will not be required to make any payment for any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by any government or a political subdivision or taxing authority of or in any government or political subdivision.

As used above, the term “United States” means the United States of America (including the states of the United States and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision thereof) and the term “United States person” means any individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia (other than a partnership that is not treated as a United States person under any applicable Treasury regulations), or any estate or trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source.


Notice of any redemption will be sent at least 15 days, but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of Notes to be redeemed.

Except as otherwise provided herein, redemption of the Notes shall be made in accordance with the terms of Article 3 of the Indenture.

For purposes of the Notes, “Foreign Government Obligations” shall refer to (1) securities that are direct obligations of the Federal Republic of Germany for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the Federal Republic of Germany, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the Federal Republic of Germany, which, in either case under clauses (1) or (2) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each Series under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series to be affected by such amendment or modification. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series to be affected by such waiver, on behalf of the Holders of Securities of such Series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series. Once effective, any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

The Indenture contains provisions setting forth certain conditions to the institution of proceedings by Holders of Securities with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy under the Indenture.

If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, the principal amount hereof may become immediately due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registerable in the Security register, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly executed, by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the


Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes of the same Series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing such restrictive legends as may be required by the Indenture.

The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, this Note is exchangeable for certificated notes in definitive form of like tenor in minimum denominations of €100,000 principal amount and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof if (i) the common depositary provides notification that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for the global notes and a successor is not appointed within 90 days; (ii) the Company in its discretion at any time determines not to have all the Notes represented by the global note; or (iii) default entitling the Holders of Notes to accelerate the maturity thereof has occurred and is continuing. Any Note that is exchangeable as above is exchangeable for certificated notes issuable in authorized denominations and registered in such names as the common depositary shall direct. Subject to the foregoing, a global note is not exchangeable, except for a global note of the same aggregate denomination to be registered in the name of the common depositary (or its nominee).

Payments (including principal, interest and any additional amounts) and transfers with respect to the Notes in certificated form may be executed at the office or agency maintained for such purpose within the City of London (initially the office of the Paying Agent maintained for such purpose) or, at the Company’s option, by check mailed to the Holders thereof at the respective addresses set forth in the register of Holders of the Notes, provided that all payments (including principal, interest and any additional amounts) on certificated notes, for which the Holders thereof have given wire transfer instructions, will be required to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration or transfer or exchange, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.

Prior to the presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered on the Security register as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment as herein provided and for all other purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company may, without the consent of the existing holders of the Notes, issue additional Notes of this Series having the same terms (except the issue date, the date from which interest accrues and, in some cases, the first interest payment date) so that existing Notes and additional Notes form the same series under the Indenture, provided, however, that if any such additional Notes are not fungible with the existing Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.


This Note shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]   
             
    
    
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE]   

the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing                                                   attorney to transfer such Note on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:                                 

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.