Mastercard has expanded its global payment infrastructure to support on-chain settlement using six regulated stablecoins, allowing transactions to clear 24/7, including weekends and holidays. This marks the first time the network will operate without the limitations imposed by traditional banking hours.
The initial rollout includes stablecoins such as Circle’s USDC, PayPal’s PYUSD, Paxos-issued USDG and USDP, Ripple’s RLUSD, and SoFi’s SoFiUSD. Settlement will be conducted across eight blockchain networks: Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, the XRP Ledger, Canton, and Tempo. The initiative currently targets markets in the United States and Latin America, with plans for broader expansion through 2026.
This development changes the backend infrastructure where issuers and acquirers can opt to settle card transactions via these regulated stablecoins on blockchain, running parallel to traditional fiat settlement options. Cardholders will see no change in how they pay, as this improvement operates behind the scenes, facilitating instant and continuous settlement between merchants, banks, and processors.
By eliminating transaction delays caused by bank closures, Mastercard aims to meet the demands of a 24/7 digital economy, enhancing liquidity management for its partners. Early collaborators supporting stablecoin settlement include ARQ (formerly DolarApp), CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank, and Nuvei.
This integration signals strong institutional recognition of stablecoins as a viable mechanism for mainstream payment networks, positioning Mastercard as one of the first major card processors to embed blockchain-based settlement at a network-wide scale rather than through limited pilots or tests.