Mastercard said on Tuesday it had agreed to acquire digital asset infrastructure firm BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, as the payments giant expands deeper into blockchain-based financial services.
The deal includes up to $300 million in contingent payments and is expected to close before the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions.
Mastercard said the acquisition would strengthen its ability to connect traditional fiat payment systems with blockchain-based networks, enabling financial institutions and businesses to move money across both rails more efficiently.
The company is seeking to tap into growing demand for stablecoin-powered payments, which are increasingly being used for cross-border transfers, business payments and peer-to-peer transactions.
Digital currency payment volumes reached at least $350 billion in 2025, highlighting the rapid growth of blockchain-based financial activity, according to industry estimates.
“The addition of on-chain rails will support speed and programmability for virtually every type of transaction,” said Jorn Lambert.
Founded in 2021, BVNK provides infrastructure that allows businesses to send and receive payments in both fiat and stablecoins across multiple blockchain networks in more than 130 countries.
The acquisition builds on Mastercard’s broader push into digital assets, including partnerships with crypto firms and its Crypto Partner Program aimed at expanding use cases for digital currencies within its global network.
“For all of the advancements made, we have only scratched the surface,” said Jesse Hemson-Struthers, adding that the deal would help deliver new financial services built on digital currencies.
Mastercard said the combined platform would take a chain-agnostic approach, allowing customers to access different blockchain networks and digital currencies without being locked into a single ecosystem.
The move underscores how traditional payment companies are increasingly integrating blockchain technology into their systems as competition intensifies in the race to shape the future of global payments.