Key Takeaways:
Mastercard adds USDC, RLUSD, PYUSD, and three other stablecoins to its global card settlement network across 8 blockchains.ARQ, Cross River, Lead Bank, Nuvei, and CBW Bank are the first to activate stablecoin settlement in the U.S. and Latin America.Rollout expands through 2026, with additional regions, partners, and regulated stablecoins expected on the Mastercard network.Lead Bank CEO Jackie Reses called the move foundational. “At Lead, we believe the future of financial infrastructure is 24/7, and onchain settlement is where that future becomes real,” she said.
What the Partners Are SayingCircle chief commercial officer Kash Razzaghi said demand is growing for payment infrastructure that operates beyond traditional banking hours, and that USDC is already supporting early onchain settlement flows in select markets.
Cross River’s head of onchain finance, Luca Cosentino, said Mastercard’s decision validates the direction his firm has been building toward, describing it as digital asset rails operating alongside traditional payments infrastructure.
How It Works Within Existing Infrastructure Rollout Timeline
