#MastercardStablecoinCards

Mastercard is actively pursuing a strategy to integrate stablecoins into its global payment network, aiming to make stablecoin transactions as seamless and accessible as traditional currency payments. While Mastercard is not issuing its own stablecoin, its focus is on enabling the use of existing stablecoins across its vast network of merchants and facilitating their conversion to fiat currency at the point of sale.

Key aspects of Mastercard's stablecoin strategy include:

* Enabling Stablecoin Payments: Mastercard is working to allow consumers to spend stablecoins from their digital wallets at the over 150 million merchant locations worldwide that accept Mastercard. This is achieved through partnerships that facilitate the instant conversion of stablecoins to local fiat currency during a transaction.

* Partnerships with Crypto Companies: Mastercard is collaborating with various cryptocurrency platforms, exchanges, and wallet providers (such as MoonPay, OKX, Nuvei, Circle, Paxos, MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com, and Binance) to build the necessary infrastructure and connections for stablecoin transactions. These partnerships cover areas like wallet enablement, card issuance linked to stablecoin balances, and merchant acceptance.

* Facilitating Merchant Settlement: Mastercard is also enabling merchants to have the option to receive settlements in stablecoins, such as USDC, regardless of how the customer initiated the payment.

* Improving Cross-Border Payments and Remittances: Stablecoins are seen as having the potential to streamline cross-border transactions due to their speed and lower costs compared to traditional methods. Mastercard is utilizing initiatives like its Crypto Credential service to enhance the security and user-friendliness of sending and receiving digital assets.

* Developing Network Infrastructure: Mastercard's Multi-Token Network (MTN) is designed to support various digital assets, including stablecoins, and connect them to the broader financial system, including banks.