Mastercard announced Wednesday its intention to integrate regulated stablecoins into its global card-settlement network, a strategic move aimed at enabling card issuers and acquirers to process transactions directly on-chain. The company stated that this new service will be operational across eight distinct blockchains, thereby enhancing the “real-world utility” of digital assets. In addition to the on-chain settlement capabilities, Mastercard also plans to introduce settlement cycles that operate intraday, on weekends, and during holidays.
Stablecoin Integration and Blockchain Support
Mastercard’s announcement specified that the stablecoins supported by this initiative include Circle’s USDC, a rival to Tether, which the company noted is already facilitating early on-chain settlement activities in select markets. The company also listed stablecoins issued by Paxos, such as PYUSD, USDG, and USDP. Furthermore, Ripple’s RLUSD and SoFi’s SoFiUSD were cited as part of the initial stablecoin lineup for the network.
The stablecoins will be accessible across a wide array of supported blockchain networks, including Arbitrum (ARB), Base, Canton, Ethereum (ETH), Polygon (POL), Solana (SOL), Tempo, and the XRP Ledger (XRPL). While Mastercard did not detail any changes to the types of partners eligible to utilize the network, it indicated that the plan will allow customers to leverage both traditional payment settlement and digital-asset-based settlement through their existing infrastructure.
Expansion Plans Through 2026
Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president of Blockchain & Digital Assets at Mastercard, articulated the company’s perspective that the next phase of stablecoin adoption hinges on practical applications in scenarios where timing and liquidity are critical. He specifically highlighted settlement as a key area, describing intraday and weekend settlement options as a means for partners to optimize liquidity management within an always-on digital economy.
Mastercard further stated that these expanded capabilities will be rolled out globally, contingent upon regulatory approval. The initial deployment will be confined to “parts of the United States and Latin America.” The payment giant indicated that additional regions, partners, and regulated stablecoins are slated for inclusion through 2026, as its stablecoin settlement offering grows beyond its initial launch areas.
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