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Mastercard is scaling digital asset adoption by partnering with Binance and Circle to link crypto to 150 million merchants worldwide.
The program aims to connect digital assets with over 150 million merchant locations worldwide that already accept Mastercard cards.
Private Settlement Network
At the center of this new infrastructure lies the Multi-Token Network (MTN)—a private blockchain that Mastercard describes as a “trust engine” for digital payments.
Unlike public blockchains, where fees and settlement times can fluctuate, MTN allows for more predictable and faster transactions through tokenized bank deposits and regulated stablecoins.
Among the first institutional participants in the network are JPMorgan Chase and Standard Chartered, providing the project with significant weight among traditional banks.
Simpler Crypto Payments for Consumers
Mastercard is also attempting to solve one of the biggest hurdles in crypto payments: complex wallet addresses.
The new Crypto Credential system replaces long cryptographic addresses with human-readable aliases, similar to email addresses. Furthermore, the system complies with the FATF “Travel Rule” requirements for transaction traceability.
Stablecoins Become a Primary Payment Tool
One of the most vital components of the initiative is the integration of stablecoins.
Mastercard already supports:
- $USDC
- PYUSD
- $USDG
- SoFiUSD
These digital dollars enable nearly instant international payments 24/7, a feat the traditional banking system struggles to achieve. Circle will play a key role as a settlement partner via $USDC, while Paxos will manage the issuance of $USDG.
Crypto Exchanges and Wallets Join the Network
The new partner program covers nearly the entire spectrum of the crypto ecosystem.
Participants include:
- Binance – for global card issuance and stablecoin payments
- Coinbase – for institutional solutions and stablecoin infrastructure
- Kraken and Gemini – for wallets and consumer payments
One of the most interesting partnerships is with MetaMask. The two companies are developing a MetaMask Mastercard card, which will allow users to spend funds directly from self-custody wallets without transferring them to a centralized exchange.
The Crypto Credential infrastructure will operate across several blockchains, including Polygon, Solana, Aptos, and Avalanche.
Crypto Payments Reach Record Volumes
Mastercard’s decision comes amid rapidly growing interest in cryptocurrencies.
According to recent data:
- 58% of consumers worldwide either own cryptocurrencies or show interest in them.
- Monthly crypto transaction volume reached $969.9 billion in August 2025.
- Expectations are for volume to reach $1 trillion monthly by the end of 2026.
Currently, the Mastercard network supports over 176 million crypto wallets, including both custodial and self-custody solutions.
The Next Step: AI and “Agentic Commerce”
Mastercard is already looking beyond standard crypto payments. The company is developing the concept of “agentic commerce”—a system where AI agents can automatically perform payments and transactions through the network’s crypto infrastructure.
This suggests that the next phase of digital finance could be a combination of artificial intelligence, programmable money, and blockchain infrastructure.