Mastercard Unveils End-to-End Capabilities to Power Stablecoin Transactions – From Wallets to Checkouts
PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mastercard is advancing the future of payments, finance and technology with new, global end-to-end stablecoin acceptance and payments capabilities. With increasing global regulatory clarity, stablecoins are evolving from crypto trading tools to essential solutions that bring efficiency and programmability to payments, disbursements, and remittances. Harnessing this potential, Mastercard is ensuring that people and businesses can make and receive stablecoin payments – anytime, anywhere.
"We believe in the potential of stablecoins to streamline payments and commerce across the value chain," said Jorn Lambert, chief product officer at Mastercard. "Unlocking this is core to how we navigate the rapidly changing world."
Share
While banks and fintechs are increasingly engaging with solutions built on stablecoins, global ubiquity and scale is contingent on everyday utility, seamless integration into existing financial systems, and an intuitive user experience. To allow consumers and businesses to use stablecoins as easily as the money in their bank accounts, Mastercard is providing an integrated, 360-degree approach:
Wallet enablement, card issuing and acceptance: Mastercard's partnerships with crypto natives like MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com, Binance, Monavate and Bleap allow consumers to enter the crypto ecosystem to earn rewards, pay, and spend the stablecoins in their crypto wallets via traditional cards at the over 150 million merchant locations accepting Mastercard globally, as well as withdraw stablecoins into their bank accounts with Mastercard Move.
Differentiated value through cards and beyond: Mastercard is partnering with OKX to launch the OKX Card, providing millions with easy access to their funds. Mastercard and OKX will explore new opportunities to help people meaningfully engage with digital assets and connect with their passions – leveraging OKX's leadership in crypto trading and its growing Web3 ecosystem to bring more people on-chain.
Merchant settlement: As acquirers and merchants increasingly explore and leverage digital assets for settlement, Mastercard is teaming up with Nuvei and Circle to give merchants the option to receive their payments in stablecoins such as Circle's USDC, regardless of how a consumer chooses to pay. Mastercard also works closely with Paxos to enable this functionality across Paxos-issued stablecoins.
On-chain remittances: Stablecoins are fast and cost-effective, making them ideal for remittances and cross-border disbursements. However, current user experiences are cumbersome and lack essential verification and transparency to protect their transactions. Mastercard Crypto Credential solves this by allowing crypto exchange users to send and receive digital assets with simple and trusted usernames. Wirex, Bit2Me, Lirium, Notabene, Coins.ph and Mercado Bitcoin have already joined the Mastercard Crypto Credential ecosystem.
Powering more efficient payments and commerce applications: Stablecoins can streamline settlement across markets and currencies around the world. The Mastercard Multi-Token Network (MTN) helps enable real-time payments and redemptions, allowing partners like Ondo Finance to leverage on-chain tokenized assets. J.P. Morgan's Kinexys Digital Payments and Standard Chartered are connected to MTN today, connecting deposit accounts to new and emerging digital asset use cases.
'When it comes to blockchain and digital assets, the benefits for mainstream use cases are clear,' said Jorn Lambert, chief product officer at Mastercard. 'To realize its potential, we need to make it as easy for merchants to receive stablecoin payments and for consumers to use them. We believe in the potential of stablecoins to streamline payments and commerce across the value chain. Unlocking this is core to how we navigate the rapidly changing world, giving people and businesses the freedom they want by providing the choices they deserve.'
Grounded by its principled approach to innovation, Mastercard will continue to work with its wide range of partners to pioneer the next generation of payments, enabling new ways to transact and fortifying trust across all forms and flows.
Quote Sheet
'OKX is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the world of digital assets,' said Haider Rafique, managing partner and chief marketing officer, OKX. 'Our strategic partnership with Mastercard to launch the OKX Card reflects our commitment to making digital finance more accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday life. Together, we're taking a significant step toward integrating stablecoins into daily transactions and creating richer experiences—while bringing new users on-chain through OKX's leadership in crypto trading and our growing Web3 ecosystem.'
'At Nuvei, our priority is delivering secure and efficient payment solutions that meet the highest standards,' said Phil Fayer, chief executive officer, Nuvei. 'By partnering with Mastercard and Circle, we're embracing cutting-edge technologies to enhance how our merchants handle payments and settlements. These collaborations allow us to offer innovative solutions that bridge traditional and digital finance, helping our merchants grow and thrive in today's fast-evolving global market.'
'At MetaMask, we're committed to empowering users with seamless access to the Web3 economy, without compromising on self-custody or choice,' said Ale Machado, product lead, MetaMask Card at Consensys. 'Our collaboration with Mastercard enables people to stay engaged in decentralized protocols and stablecoins, right up to the moment they choose to spend, unlocking everyday utility.'
'Crypto is rapidly becoming the future of everyday payments. At Kraken, we're focused on accelerating that shift — and collaborating with partners like Mastercard is key to unlocking crypto's real-world utility at global scale,' said Mark Greenberg, Kraken's global head of consumer business and product.
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
How CPAs Should Speak To Clients As Crypto Adoption Accelerates
CPAs need to be educated on crypto to better advise clients CPAs have been discussing crypto for years, but given the rapidly (and positively) changing regulatory and policy environment it seems a good time to revisit what might sound like a straight-forward question; how should CPAs approach clients about cryptoassets? While in the past CPAs could have reasonably advised clients to minimize exposure to crypto since the regulatory environment was so uncertain, bankruptcies such as FTX dominated the headlines, and price volatility seemed ingrained into the asset class. Over the last 12-18 months, however, those narratives have changed significantly, with several developments making the crypto conversation between advisors and clients much more nuanced. Positive momentum on the legislative front at the federal and numerous state levels, the proliferation of spot crypto ETFs, the relaxation of previous strict language around including crypto into 401 (k) plans, the comprehensive repayment plans announced by the FTX estate, and the successful IPO of major stablecoin issuer Circle have all contributed to a more optimistic for crypto as 2025 continues to roll forward. Despite these developments, including the actions taken by the OCC and FDIC to allow more institutions to engage with crypto operations, the tax and accounting outlook for crypto has yet to significantly shift. Let's take a look at a few things CPAs need to keep in mind when discussing crypto with clients as positive momentum continues to accelerate. Given the nearly continuous flow of positive headlines around cryptoassets and the increased frequency with which investors of all sizes are allocating funds to said assets CPAs might very well be speaking with clients who fear missing out on these returns. That said, the investing adage that past success does not indicate future performance holds equally as true for crypto as any other asset class. For example, bitcoin has traded as low as $70,000 in 2025 prior to rebounding back about $100,000 beginning in May 2025; volatility remains an embedded part of the crypto ecosystem. For CPA clients seeking to integrate cryptoassets as part of a treasury allocation, accepting cryptoassets for payment purposes, or seeking to advise external clients whether crypto is a good fit for operations the pressure to invest in crypto can be significant. A responsibility of CPAs across the board is to make sure that any and all clients interested in crypto are only investing in these assets if the assets are well understood, and are a good fit for the business model of the firm. Despite the positive changes that have permeated into the cryptoasset sector the tax ramifications of these the fact remains that taxes are an obstacle to wider utilization of crypto for business purposes. Virtually every single transaction, transformation, or exchange that involves cryptoassets will create a tax reporting and potential tax payment obligation, and this has not changed even as the usage and adoption of crypto continues to accelerate. This is especially true for individuals that engage in higher volume trading or business activities, as several changes in particular will impact businesses using crypto. Specifically, changes that are related to IRS code section 6045 and 6050I, including the pivot to a universal wallet tracking methodology, are set to complicate the accounting for crypto transactions and gains. With further changes coming to the marketplace beginning January 2026, and while DeFi broker regulations (with an effective date in 2027) have been sidelined for now, the tax conversation around crypto is far from over. CPAs are already trusted as business and tax advisors, and especially as it is connected to crypto the value that can be added to a client via improved tax information is difficult to overstate. An often repeated issue and statement that can arise with the onboarding of cryptoassets is the perception that internal controls are less important since underlying blockchains are usually perceived as immutable and unhackable. Even if the blockchain itself has proven itself resilient and impervious to hacking attempts the multitude of hacks and data breaches that have occurred in the cryptoasset sector should serve as a reminder that internal controls are always important. Specifically the recent data breach at Coinbase should be illustrative to potential users and investors in crypto; even one of the most highlight regulated and well regarded institutions in the crypto sector suffered a data breach due to social engineering attacks on certain employees. For smaller institutions or entrepreneurs looking to gain exposure to crypto the importance of establishing and improving internal controls around cryptoassets and crypto policies should be an imperative. CPAs are well versed in assisting clients in the establishment and improvement of controls and control frameworks, and the importance of controls around crypto is no different. Crypto continues to make inroads across the economic board, and CPAs need to be well-prepared to discuss these issues with clients now and going forward.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tech IPO smash reveals something shocking
Tech IPO smash reveals something shocking originally appeared on TheStreet. Last week, a company that most people outside of the crypto field hadn't heard of became the toast of Wall Street. Circle Internet Group () , typically referred to as Circle, is a peer-to-peer digital payments company, but it's best known for issuing the Stabecoin, a digital asset whose value is pegged to the U.S. dollar. The newly minted stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on June 5, quickly catching the attention of many investors. 💵💰💰💵 The market hasn't seen too many tech initial public offerings (IPOs) so far this year, with the exception of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing startup CoreWeave () , which began trading in March. The new stock has enjoyed significant growth and has remained in the spotlight as the year's top tech IPO. Now it has a competitor, in the form of a popular fintech platform operating in a fairly niche market. The new CRCL stock didn't take very long to start surging after markets opened on June 5. It quickly began trending upward, and by the end of the trading day, it had skyrocketed 168%, raising almost $1.1 billion as part of its kept surging on the following day, and the new standout fintech stock closed out trading up almost 30%, trading at more than $107 per share after opening at $69 during its debut. Given the expected range for the week of $27-$28, this performance is highly encouraging as investors hunt for the next breakout tech stock. As a stablecoin issuer, Circle is considered a pure-play crypto stock, putting it in the same category as companies such as Riot Blockchain and MARA Holdings, both of which have risen significantly over the past month. The Trump administration's pro-crypto stance has put these names in the spotlight as some investors turn more bullish. Circle issues stablecoins, a certain type of digital asset created to make it more practical for investors to transact with crypto. As a report from Fidelity summarizes: 'Stablecoin advocates believe these cryptocurrencies are critical for bridging 'real-world' assets like fiat currencies with digital assets on the blockchain. Others are skeptical, noting that they've played major roles in the collapse of several cryptocurrencies and crypto institutions.' It's true stablecoins carry risk that may make some investors nervous. But the success of the Circle IPO suggests that sentiment toward them is shifting in a positive direction. More than that, it indicates that Wall Street may be starting to regard Stablecoins more seriously. More Wall Street News: Analyst flags new quantum computing stocks to buy Surprising guidance sends CrowdStrike stock reeling Analyst sets eye-popping Tesla stock price target 'Circle's IPO is a major milestone, not just for stablecoins, but it also demonstrates that crypto firms can operate transparently and compliantly in U.S. markets,' states OKX CEO Roshan Robert. 'It shows the public markets are open to digital asset businesses, but also tests whether they are truly ready to meet investor and regulatory expectations. IPO readiness is no longer theoretical for crypto-native companies; it's strategic.' In 2024, few tech companies opted to go public, leading investors to question the future of the industry. As 2025 began, several high-growth tech startups considered public debuts, but so far, the only member of that group to start trading is trading debut smash marks a significant development for the industry, as it may help usher in a new wave of tech IPOs, exactly what investors are hoping for. As there still aren't many pre-play crypto stocks, the company may have an opportunity to dominate the space. CEO Jeremy Allaire recently addressed Circle's future on CNBC's Money Movers, highlighting what he believes sets his company apart from others in the space and where its advantages may lie. 'To realize our vision, we needed to forge relationships with governments, we needed to work with policymakers,' he says. 'We've been one of the most licensed, regulated, compliant, transparent companies in the entire history of this industry, and that's served us well.'Tech IPO smash reveals something shocking first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
This investment turned $50,000 into $23 million in 10 years. It's still a buy.
In life, you make things happen, watch things happen or wonder what happened. Don't let your cash slip away unnoticed. Throughout history, moments come when our basic assumptions shift quietly beneath our feet. Most people don't notice until it's too late. I bought my mother-in-law a condo — and she took out a $30,000 car loan. Now she refuses to get a roommate. 'I prepaid our mom's rent for a year': My sister is a millionaire and never helps our mother. How do I cut her out of her will? Circle's stock is having another big day. What the blockbuster IPO has meant for other cryptocurrency plays. I help my elderly mother every day and drive her to appointments. Can I recoup my costs from her estate? S&P 500 changes are imminent. Robinhood and these other stocks could join the index. Imagine two young fish swimming together. An older fish passes by, greeting them, 'Good morning, boys. How's the water?' One fish looks puzzled, leans toward the other, and mutters, 'What the hell's water?' This analogy perfectly illustrates our relationship with our money. You've been floating cluelessly in a fish tank of government funny money for so long you've forgotten you're all wet. Every year, central banks crank the printing presses into overdrive, flooding the economy with more paper currency. Politicians treat debt as endlessly available, with no consequences. This is not capitalism. This is economic waterboarding. And yet we accept it as normal, just as residents of a town that floods every spring casually accept disaster. They move their sofas upstairs, prop up their televisions and shrug: Flooding, to them, is inevitable. When a fresh-faced optimist asks, 'Why don't we just drain the swamp?' he's laughed out of town — until someone suddenly realizes, 'Wait, we actually can drain the swamp.' That's our money system. Instead of sandbags, politicians toss trillions of newly printed dollars at us, hoping we'll float a bit longer. But each fresh flood of cash makes the problem worse. MarketWatch Live: Home to the world's top-performing currency this year, Russia cuts interest rates for the first time since 2022 Bitcoin BTCUSD is the grown-up choice in a world run by toddlers with credit cards. It's not a Band-Aid or a 'patch' or one more empty promise from a politician who'd lose money running a lemonade stand. Instead, bitcoin is stable precisely because no central banker can muck it up. Every minute you hesitate is another moment your wealth gets eaten by money-printing machines run by bureaucrats who think math is an inconvenience. Bitcoin isn't just another investment; it's financial Kevlar for the inevitable gunfight between your wallet and the world's central planners. Protect your savings, or don't — but don't say you weren't warned. But first, understand clearly why you're facing this situation. We live with a profound economic paradox: Technological advances continually lower the cost of living, yet prices keep climbing. Your money buys far less today than 10 or 20 years ago, despite incredible progress. Why? Inflation. It's baked into a monetary system engineered to steadily devalue currency. Most accept this erosion as natural — it isn't. Bitcoin provides an alternative, yet few truly grasp it. Labels like 'digital gold,' 'investment' and 'bubble' confuse rather than clarify, causing bitcoin to remain vastly underutilized. Bitcoin isn't digital gold, although it shares gold's GC00 scarcity. It is not merely a speculative asset you buy hoping prices rise. Instead, understanding bitcoin requires adopting a new mindset. Bitcoin is an open, decentralized system built specifically to securely store and freely exchange value — without banks or bureaucrats getting in the way. Nobody controls bitcoin. Yet everybody can benefit. Consider how the internet transformed information. Before, gatekeepers— newspapers, TV networks — controlled what you saw. The internet removed those gatekeepers, allowing free and instant access to information. Bitcoin applies the same principle to money. It removes financial gatekeepers, eliminates fees and prevents inflationary manipulation, putting control of your finances permanently into your hands. Bitcoin's core innovation is decentralization. Its security isn't backed by banks or governments; it's rooted in mathematics, cryptography and a global network of independent participants. There is no CEO, no headquarters and, crucially, no way to print more currency. This revolutionary design ensures no one can seize your bitcoin, freeze your accounts or dilute your savings. It's money designed intentionally to be fair, neutral, secure and universally accessible. Grasping bitcoin demands a fundamental rethinking — not just about technology but about money itself. It challenges deeply held beliefs about freedom and control. Read: Here's how much higher gold prices can still go — even after doubling the past two years Right now, governments and banks decide how much money to print. Imagine playing the board game Monopoly, but one player secretly prints extra bills. Suddenly, everyone's cash is worth less, and prices rise uncontrollably. This is inflation. It shrinks your savings and paycheck, making everyday life more expensive. Asset owners — those with stocks and real estate — benefit, while regular earners suffer dwindling purchasing power. Bitcoin completely flips this scenario. Its supply is capped at 21 million coins. No government or bank can ever create more. Rather than losing value over time, bitcoin protects — and potentially enhances — your purchasing power. Think of bitcoin like rare baseball cards or limited-edition sneakers. Finite supply plus growing demand equals increased value. Instead of your savings eroding each year through inflation, bitcoin rewards you by maintaining or growing your buying power. Secured by mathematics and powerful computing, it's unforgeable digital gold: safe, scarce and impossible to manipulate. Bitcoin isn't just new money — it forces us to reconsider money's role in our lives entirely. Consider this 10-year investing lesson: On June 2, 2015, imagine you faced a crucial choice. You had $50,000 saved for your child's education. Two investment paths appeared clearly. One, a familiar S&P 500 SPX fund — the SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY —promising stable, reliable growth. The other, bitcoin: experimental, misunderstood, yet uniquely resistant to inflation. Ten years later, the outcomes diverged dramatically: Bitcoin: Your $50,000 bought roughly 220 coins at about $227 each. Now, with the cryptocurrency recently at about $102,000 per coin, your investment is worth around $23.2 million. S&P 500 ETF: Your $50,000 purchased roughly 236 shares at about $212 each. Now, with the ETF recently at $593 per share, your investment totals roughly $140,000. After adjusting for inflation averaging 3% annually, each 2025 dollar equals 74 cents in 2015 purchasing power. In real, after-inflation terms, your bitcoin investment maintains $17.1 million in buying power, while your S&P 500 ETF preserves about $104,000 — still a gain, but dwarfed by bitcoin's inflation-adjusted returns. This 10-year lesson teaches us something profound about our assumptions. Ultimately, the question isn't just about returns; it's about sovereignty. The real lesson isn't about luck or risk. It's about whom you trust with your money. Do you want your financial destiny dictated by institutions that profit from quietly eroding your wealth, or do you want to become your own banker, operating under principles that respect your financial independence? Read: Trump administration rescinds Biden-era caution about crypto in 401(k) plans — here's what that means for you Here's what keeps me up at night: Right now, somewhere, a couple is arguing over money. A parent is calculating whether they can afford their kid's college tuition. A retiree is watching their savings evaporate, one grocery trip at a time. They're all making the same mistake. See, there are only two kinds of people in this story. Those who act. And those who become cautionary tales their grandchildren whisper about: 'If only Grandpa had bought bitcoin when it was just six figures … ' The math doesn't lie. The 10-year proof is staring you in the face. Your choice isn't between safe and risky anymore. It's between two futures: In one, you're explaining to your family why you ignored the biggest wealth transfer in human history when the evidence was screaming at you. In the other, you're the one who saw what was coming and acted. Twenty years from now, only one question will matter: Were you the smart money or the scared money? Garcia holds positions in bitcoin and gold. . More: America's biggest lender is closing its wallet — and investors and home buyers will feel it. Here's what to watch. Also read: The 'mother of all credit squeezes' is coming — hang on to your wallet 'I'm not wildly wealthy, but I've done well': I'm 79 and have $3 million in assets. Should I set up 529 plans for my grandkids? What's at stake if world's most powerful market finally buckles after decades-long U.S. debt splurge My daughter's boyfriend, a guest in my home, offered to powerwash part of my house — then demanded money How do I make sure my son-in-law doesn't get his hands on my daughter's inheritance? Never mind the tariffs and tantrums. The 'dual equity pain trade' means new highs for stocks. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
