Mastercard Eyes $2B Acquisition of Blockchain Startup Zero Hash Amid Stablecoin Race

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire blockchain infrastructure provider Zero Hash in a deal valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, according to Fortune. The move highlights the global payment giant’s growing push into stablecoin and digital asset settlements as competition in the crypto payments space intensifies.

The acquisition talks come as Mastercard faces potential competition from Coinbase in its bid for crypto payments firm BVNK. The surge of interest from major financial players underscores how stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies like the U.S. dollar—are reshaping global payment systems. By enabling faster, cheaper transactions on blockchain networks, stablecoins are poised to disrupt traditional banking rails.

Industry analysts project that stablecoin payment volumes could surpass $1 trillion by 2030, driven by institutional adoption, cross-border settlements, and foreign exchange integrations. Mastercard’s potential move follows similar initiatives by rivals. Visa recently announced plans for a tokenization platform that allows banks to issue and manage stablecoins, while Stripe expanded its blockchain footprint with the $1.1 billion acquisition of stablecoin provider Bridge and digital wallet firm Privy, in collaboration with venture firm Paradigm.

Zero Hash has emerged as a key player in blockchain payment infrastructure, processing over $2 billion in tokenized transactions in the first four months of this year alone. The Chicago-based startup, backed by investors such as Interactive Brokers and Morgan Stanley, raised $104 million in its latest funding round last September.

As financial institutions race to modernize their payment systems with blockchain-based solutions, Mastercard’s strategic interest in Zero Hash could mark a pivotal step in its digital transformation and reinforce its position in the fast-evolving stablecoin ecosystem.