Mastercard is making a bold move to solidify its leadership in the rapidly evolving world of digital assets by seeking to acquire Zerohash, a Chicago-based crypto and stablecoin infrastructure startup, in a deal valued between $1.5 and $2 billion. Founded in 2017, Zerohash has emerged as a key player in providing API-driven tools that help financial institutions, fintechs, and brokerages integrate crypto trading, asset tokenization, and stablecoin payments directly into their platforms.

This acquisition is poised to be one of Mastercard’s largest investments in the crypto sector to date. Zerohash’s technologies already power crypto services for major clients, including managing over $2 billion in tokenized asset flows for firms such as BlackRock and Franklin Templeton. By bringing Zerohash under its roof, Mastercard aims to gain direct control over essential blockchain payment infrastructure, supporting its strategy to offer more efficient, faster, and cost-effective cross-border payments compared to traditional money transfer systems.

Rivalry in the stablecoin infrastructure market is intensifying, with other payment giants like Visa and financial technology companies such as Stripe also making significant investments and acquisitions in this space. The growing demand for blockchain-enabled services is being fueled by clearer regulatory guidelines and increasing interest from banks and large institutions that are eager to access faster, more transparent settlement mechanisms while reducing operational complexity.

Analysts describe Mastercard’s move as a strategic response to the accelerating convergence between traditional finance and digital assets. If completed, the acquisition of Zerohash could provide Mastercard with a decisive advantage in shaping the future of global payments, integrating compliance and settlement technology for digital assets directly into its vast network, and paving the way for the broader adoption of stablecoin-based transactions on a global scale.

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