Mastercard announced the use of stablecoins such as USDC. This is not a temporary experiment. What is happening is the official introduction of stable digital currencies into the global financial system, within the approved payment networks.
Stablecoins are no longer a speculative tool; they have become a recognized settlement medium. Mastercard is now working with companies like Circle, Paxos, and Nuvei to provide infrastructure that enables direct digital payment and settlement.
The step was taken after careful legal and regulatory study. Mastercard is a company subject to strict global financial oversight and only moves when the regulatory framework is clear. The existence of regulations like MiCA in Europe and stable laws being enacted in America means that stablecoins have become almost official in the eyes of institutions.
The main reason for adopting stablecoins is not just technical, but functional, as transfers via blockchain are faster, cheaper, and take place without intermediaries. SWIFT takes days. Stablecoins execute transfers in minutes. Most importantly, these payments are programmable — they can be linked to conditions and smart contracts. No bank can provide this.
Mastercard knows that the future is in this type of money. That is why it has started building the infrastructure necessary for direct digital settlements, instead of relying on the traditional banking system. This trend means that the role of banks in transfers and payments will decrease, especially in cross-border payments.
From now on, merchants will start accepting stablecoins, and users may not feel it, as the settlement happens in the background. The user pays, and the merchant receives USDC. No need for banks, no need for currency conversion.
This is the beginning of the transition from slow and complex money to instant and programmable digital money.
If you are not building, investing, or moving within this change, you will be affected by it later without having any influence.