Chainlink, Mastercard partner to allow 3 billion cardholders to buy crypto
Chainlink, a company that provides a decentralized oracle network, has partnered with payments provider Mastercard to allow the credit card company's three billion cardholders to buy crypto onchain. The integration could spur crypto adoption by providing a new avenue for people without Web3 exposure to gain experience with digital assets.
The integration is made possible through a series of partnerships with Web3 entities, including Shift4 Payments, Swapper Finance, XSwap and ZeroHash, a crypto and stablecoins infrastructure company that will provide the onchain service and liquidity enabling customers to convert fiat currency to crypto.
'The current version of the application available at Swapper Finance is non-custodial and leverages account abstraction to provide users with simplicity and control,' a Chainlink Labs spokesperson told Cointelegraph. 'It was important that this solution was built for everyone, not just for crypto-natives or enthusiasts.'
Mastercard has embraced crypto in 2024 and 2025, mostly through the issuance of cards that allow users to spend cryptocurrency at merchants in different countries. In April, it announced a partnership with Kraken to launch crypto debit cards across the UK and Europe, and it joined MetaMask to debut a self-custody crypto card. In February, the company said it had tokenized 30% of its 2024 transactions.
Mastercard competitor also in crypto fray
Mastercard's main competitor, Visa, has also been active on the crypto front. In October 2024, it partnered with Coinbase to allow some of the exchange's users to instantly withdraw and deposit crypto. In addition, it has debuted a Web3 digital asset platform and invested in stablecoin payment platform BVNK.
Buying crypto with fiat currency can be fraught with difficulties, especially for people unfamiliar with the technology. This friction can hinder the adoption of cryptocurrency and the progress of the industry.
However, people want to connect with digital asset systems, according to Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard's executive vice president for blockchain and digital assets projects and partnerships.
'There's no doubt about it — people want to be able to easily connect to the digital assets ecosystem, and vice versa,' Dhamodharan said.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/chainlink-mastercard-partner-cardholders-buy-crypto
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
30 minutes ago
- Zawya
DL Holdings and ViaBTC Sign a Non-Binding Term Sheet for Strategic Cooperation in Digital Assets
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 June 2025 - DL Holdings Group Limited ( issued a voluntary announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on June 24, 2025, stating that it has signed a non-legally binding term sheet with ViaBTC Holdings Limited (hereinafter referred to as "ViaBTC"). The two parties plan to establish a joint venture to initiate in-depth collaboration and jointly explore the broad prospects of the digital assets and blockchain services sector. The announcement reveals that DL Holdings and ViaBTC intend to engage in deep collaboration across several areas, including: joint conduct over-the-counter (OTC) cryptocurrency trading service; provision of professional asset management and family office services for OTC and/or cryptocurrency mining clients to meet their diversified wealth management needs. The two parties also plan to explore other potential business collaborations, such as establishing a Bitcoin (BTC) reserve, developing a virtual asset trading and virtual asset management platform licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong, and further expanding their business footprint. Additionally, DL Holdings Group plans to apply for a stablecoin license to provide comprehensive digital payment solutions for cross-border transactions. The collaboration between DL Holdings and ViaBTC is highly significant. For DL Holdings, this partnership will help bridge the traditional and digital asset sectors, leveraging ViaBTC's mature crypto infrastructure and synergizing with its extensive professional expertise in financial advisory, securities trading, and brokerage services. Through the establishment of a joint venture, DL Holdings will gain access to the high-growth digital asset and blockchain services sector. Moreover, this collaboration will enable DL Holdings to extend its existing asset management and family office services to OTC and cryptocurrency mining clients, creating diversified revenue streams, expanding market coverage, and enhancing shareholder returns. Founded in 2016, ViaBTC is a blockchain technology company offering services covering a variety of digital assets. Its core business, the cryptocurrency mining pool, supports multiple cryptocurrencies and payment methods. It currently ranks as the third-largest Bitcoin mining pool globally, boasting profound technical expertise and extensive industry experience. This strategic collaboration with ViaBTC marks another critical step in DL Holdings' "Technology-Empowered Finance" strategy. By integrating with its subsidiary NeuralFin's AI financial ecosystem platform, DL Holdings is gradually building a three-dimensional business matrix that spans traditional finance, digital assets, and intelligent investment advisory. Andy Chen, Chairman of the Board of DL Holdings and NeuralFin, commented: "From NeuralFin's AI financial assistant to ViaBTC's blockchain infrastructure, we are building a seamlessly connected next-generation financial services network. In the future, whether users are managing traditional stocks, funds, or Bitcoin and stablecoins, they will be able to do so efficiently within the same intelligent ecosystem." Moving forward, NeuralFin's powerful AI capabilities may deeply integrate with ViaBTC's digital asset business—for example, using intelligent algorithms to provide cryptocurrency investors with real-time risk monitoring, cross-market asset allocation advice, and customized investment strategies based on blockchain data. ViaBTC's mining pool resources and compliant trading platform will also expand the one-click configuration scenarios for digital assets for NeuralFin users, further strengthening the synergy between "AI + blockchain" and providing technology for the digital transformation of global financial institutions. Hashtag: #DLHoldingsGroup The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DL Holdings Group
Zawya
30 minutes ago
- Zawya
US envoy plays down Africa tariff, visa concerns, reaffirms Lobito rail commitment
LUANDA - The top U.S. diplomat for Africa on Tuesday dismissed allegations of unfair U.S. trade practices and said that funding delays would not derail a key railway project connecting Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. African Union officials on Monday questioned how Africa could deepen trade ties with the United States under what they called "abusive" tariff proposals and tightening visa conditions largely targeting travellers from Africa. "There is no visitation ban," Ambassador Troy Fitrell said during a press conference at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda. He said that U.S. consulates continue issuing visas regularly, although some now come with shorter validity periods due to concerns over overstays. Several African business and political leaders have raised concerns about a sharp drop in visa approvals, particularly for travellers from West Africa, since late 2023. Washington's tariff plans have also added to cooling diplomatic ties with African countries, as some economies — including Lesotho and Madagascar — warned that even a baseline 10% levy could threaten critical exports such as apparel and minerals. But Fitrell said that the proposed U.S. import tariffs were not yet implemented, and negotiations were ongoing to create a more reciprocal trading environment, including through the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The initiative grants qualifying African nations duty-free access to the U.S. market and is due to expire in September. Fitrell also reaffirmed his country's commitment to the Lobito Corridor railway project, which links Angola's coast to copper-rich Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. "It's not at risk," he said of the initiative, describing it as a "win-win" for U.S. investors and African economies, and underscoring its significance for regional integration. The Trump administration has axed swaths of U.S. foreign aid for Africa, as part of a plan to curb spending it considers wasteful. Angolan President João Lourenço, addressing more than 2,000 government and business leaders at the summit, said U.S. companies should shift from aid to investment-driven partnerships. "It is time to replace the logic of aid with the logic of investment and trade," Lourenço said, urging diversification into sectors such as automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, tourism, cement, and steel production.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Africa: Yellow Card and Visa's strategic alliance aims to fast-track stablecoin adoption globally
Yellow Card, a licensed stablecoin payments orchestrator in Africa, has partnered with Visa to accelerate innovation in cross-border payments and digital financial infrastructure. The two will explore stablecoin use cases to streamline treasury operations, improve liquidity management, and enable faster, more cost-effective money movement across emerging markets. 'Traditional payment companies continue to question not 'if' they need a stablecoin strategy, but how quickly they can deploy one,' said Chris Maurice, co-founder and chief executive officer of Yellow Card. 'We are thrilled to partner with Visa to help realize the potential of stablecoins technology in emerging economies.' Godfrey Sullivan, senior vice president and head of product and solution for CEMEA, Visa, said, 'We're excited to team up with Yellow Card to enable faster and more accessible digital payments. We believe that every institution that moves money will need a stablecoin strategy. "As more players in the payments ecosystem explore this powerful new technology, Visa stands ready to help our partners navigate the transformation, bringing the scale, trust and innovation needed to help build the next generation of global payments.' Yellow Card operates in more than 20 African countries and provides access to secure, compliant, and accessible stablecoin products for consumers, businesses, and developers. This partnership further cements Yellow Card's role as a critical financial gateway and infrastructure provider in emerging markets.
