PURCHASE, N.Y.— Mastercard said it is launching a new global Crypto Partner Program, bringing together more than 85 crypto-native firms, payments providers and financial institutions as the company looks to deepen its role in the next phase of digital-asset payments.
In a new announcement, Mastercard said digital assets are moving beyond experimentation and are increasingly being applied to practical use cases such as cross-border remittances, B2B transfers, payouts and settlement. The company said enterprise and institutional use cases are beginning to gain traction, creating new opportunities to improve how money moves globally.
Mastercard said the new program is designed as a forum for dialogue and collaboration between the card network and companies building in digital assets, with participants expected to work with Mastercard teams on the design and direction of future products and services.
The company said those efforts will focus on combining the speed and programmability of digital assets with established card rails and global commerce networks, with an emphasis on building scalable, compliant use cases that can operate across markets and fit into everyday payments.
The new initiative builds on Mastercard’s broader digital-assets strategy, which has included blockchain-focused work through its Start Path and Engage platforms, as well as its Crypto Card program. Mastercard said it will continue to focus on trust, standards and connectivity as it seeks to bridge on-chain innovation with the traditional payments infrastructure already used by consumers and businesses.