New York, United States – Mastercard plans to acquire stablecoin firm BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, including $300 million in contingencies. The deal closes by end-2026 pending approvals. The payment giant eyes blockchain leadership against Visa in Nigeria-accessible global fintech.
BVNK, founded 2021, links fiat to stablecoins across 130 countries and major blockchains. Mastercard’s Chief Product Officer Jorn Lambert sees broad adoption ahead.
Okay News reports Lambert’s outlook. He said, “We expect that most financial institutions and fintechs will, in time, provide digital currency services.” Lambert added that it adds speed and programmability to transactions via on-chain rails.
Mastercard’s Crypto Partner Program integrates blockchain payments. Visa recently tied with Stripe’s Bridge for stablecoin Visa cards in 100 countries. Users spend digital assets without fiat swaps.
Stablecoins gain from regulatory clarity and cross-border speed. They aid remittances and business payments. Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola bets on them for Africa’s fintech leap.
The Lagos-headquartered firm eyes stablecoins for enterprise and personal use. Agboola links it to youth, mobile money trends at Riyadh events. Partnerships build the infrastructure.
Mastercard’s move speeds fiat-stablecoin bridges. BVNK enables seamless global flows. Rivals race to own payment rails in crypto growth.
