What is Mastercard's new stablecoin settlement service?

Mastercard is allowing issuers and acquirers to settle certain card transactions using regulated stablecoins. The service supports both traditional fiat settlement and onchain settlement, giving payment partners more flexibility in managing liquidity.

Which stablecoins will Mastercard support for settlement?

The network will initially support Circle's USDC, Paxos-issued PYUSD, USDG and USDP, Ripple's RLUSD, and SoFiUSD. These stablecoins are regulated digital assets pegged to the US dollar.

Why is Mastercard expanding into stablecoin settlements?

Mastercard aims to provide faster and more flexible settlement options for financial institutions. Stablecoins can enable transactions to settle outside traditional banking hours, including weekends and public holidays.

How does stablecoin settlement differ from traditional card settlement?

Traditional settlement typically relies on banking infrastructure and operates within standard business hours. Stablecoin settlement can occur on blockchain networks around the clock, potentially improving speed, liquidity management and operational efficiency.

Which companies are expected to use the service first?

Mastercard said ARQ, CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank and Nuvei are expected to be among the first organisations to support stablecoin settlement options in the United States and Latin America.

Why is this important for the stablecoin industry?

The move represents another step towards mainstream adoption of stablecoins within global payments infrastructure. Integration by one of the world's largest payment networks increases the practical utility of stablecoins beyond crypto trading.

What does this mean for USDC, PYUSD and RLUSD?

The inclusion of USDC, PYUSD and RLUSD gives these stablecoins direct access to a major global payments network. Greater settlement usage could strengthen demand and increase transaction volumes across supported ecosystems.

Image for illustrative purposes only. Not a real photo.

Mastercard expands stablecoin settlement network

Q: What blockchain networks will support Mastercard's stablecoin settlements?

Mastercard said the service will operate across several blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Tempo and XRPL. This multi-chain approach broadens access for payment providers.

Written by Mahathir BayenaPublished Jun 4, 2026, 7:23 AM

Mastercard is expanding its settlement capabilities to allow issuers and acquirers to settle selected card transactions using regulated stablecoins, deepening the integration of digital assets into traditional payment networks.

The payments company said the new system will support intraday, weekend and holiday settlements, giving partners greater flexibility to manage liquidity through both fiat currencies and onchain stablecoin transactions.

“The new options are designed to give our partners more flexibility in managing settlement liquidity and timing,”

Mastercard said.

The stablecoin settlement framework will initially support Circle’s USDC, Paxos-issued PYUSD, USDG and USDP, Ripple’s RLUSD and SoFiUSD across blockchain networks including Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Tempo and XRPL.

Mastercard said ARQ, formerly known as DolarApp, CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank and Nuvei are expected to be among the first institutions to support stablecoin settlement options in the United States and Latin America.

The expansion follows Mastercard securing a New York BitLicense in May, allowing its US transaction services division to conduct regulated digital asset business activities within the state.

The move comes as stablecoins gain traction across the payments industry, with Visa reporting a $7 billion annualised stablecoin settlement run rate earlier this year and the global stablecoin market reaching an estimated value of about $320 billion.

At the time of reporting, Ethereum price was $1,787.05.