Mastercard brings together over 85 companies to develop blockchain payments

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Mastercard expands blockchain payments through Crypto Partner Program

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Anastasiia Chabaniuk

11.03.2026

Mastercard brings together over 85 companies to develop blockchain payments — Binance, PayPal and Ripple join Mastercard’s new crypto initiative

Payments giant Mastercard announced the launch of its Crypto Partner Program, which brings together more than 85 companies from the crypto and fintech sectors to advance blockchain-based payments. The initiative aims to integrate onchain technologies with the company’s global payments infrastructure.

The company shared the announcement in a statement to CoinDesk. Participants include crypto exchanges, fintech firms, banks and blockchain developers such as Binance, Ripple, Circle, Gemini, PayPal and Paxos.

Partners will collaborate with Mastercard to explore how digital assets can interact with traditional payment channels used by banks, merchants and consumers worldwide. Mastercard said the program focuses on practical use cases for digital assets, including cross-border transfers, business-to-business (B2B) payments and global payouts.

How blockchain integrates with traditional payments

In recent years, financial institutions have increasingly tested blockchain technologies to accelerate international transfers and enable 24/7 transaction settlement. Mastercard stressed that the goal of the program is not to replace existing payment systems but to connect blockchain tools with the global financial infrastructure. The company’s network already links banks, merchants and consumers across more than 200 countries and territories.

Through the program, partners will work on products that combine programmable payments, tokenized assets and other blockchain-based tools with established payment systems.

Competition among payment giants

The initiative continues Mastercard’s broader push to integrate crypto technologies into the financial system. The company has previously supported crypto-linked payment cards, launched blockchain startups through its Start Path accelerator, and developed tools to help banks manage crypto compliance and risk.

Competitors are pursuing similar strategies. For example, Visa has been working with stablecoin issuers and blockchain firms to test settlements using digital dollars.

Despite the rapid development, integrating digital assets into everyday commerce remains complex and requires regulatory clarity, unified standards and global payment infrastructure.

Market reaction

Trader and Traders Union expert Anton Kharitonov suggested that Mastercard’s new initiative may have contributed to the current momentum in the crypto market. In a comment, he wrote:

“...85 crypto companies are joining forces to develop cross-border transfers and corporate (B2B) payments. The current growth of the crypto market may be linked to this development.”

Dutch fintech advisor and investor Marcel van Oost said on X that the crypto industry previously operated largely outside the traditional financial system, but the focus is now gradually shifting from disruption toward integration with existing payment infrastructure.

According to him, the participation of networks such as Visa and Mastercard shows that they are no longer standing aside but are actively building the infrastructure layer for crypto payments.

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Meanwhile, X user Lin (@supernft88), who describes himself as CEO of AlphaPilotHQ, wrote that the involvement of companies such as Binance, PayPal and Ripple signals growing interest from traditional finance in crypto payment infrastructure.

“Mastercard’s new blockchain initiative has already attracted major partners. The inclusion of Binance, PayPal and Ripple signals that traditional finance is finally taking crypto payment infrastructure seriously. This is no longer just a pilot project. The real question is whether it will make payments faster or simply add another layer of complexity.”

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Earlier we reported that SoFi and Mastercard are launching settlements using the SoFiUSD stablecoin.

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