Mastercard to acquire UK stablecoin firm Bvnk for up to $1.8b

Mastercard said in a statement it agreed to acquire BVNK, a London-based stablecoin infrastructure firm founded in 2021, for up to US$1.8 billion, with US$300 million contingent on BVNK hitting certain performance metrics, and said it expects the deal to close this year.

Mastercard said the purchase would let it connect traditional payment rails with blockchain-based systems and support payments involving stablecoins and tokenized deposits.

Jorn Lambert, Mastercard’s chief product officer, said in his firm’s release that it expects most financial institutions and fintechs to provide digital currency services over time.

BVNK told CNBC last year its valuation was above US$750 million and said its platform supports transactions on all major blockchain networks in more than 130 countries.

Stablecoin startups have seen increased deal activity since late 2024 amid shifts in the US cryptocurrency regulation.

BVNK reportedly entertained takeover interest from Coinbase, and Mastercard had been linked to a potential deal for Zerohash earlier this year.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Mastercard is buying a stablecoin payments firm with significant traction

Before the acquisition, BVNK processed $30 billion in annualized stablecoin payment volume, up 2.3 times year over year 1.
The flow comes from enterprise activity, including cross-border business-to-business (B2B) payments, merchant settlements, and global payroll for clients such as Worldpay and Deel 1.
BVNK brings hard-to-copy regulatory approvals, including money transmitter or equivalent licenses in various US states, an Electronic Money Institution license in the UK, and multiple Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registrations in Europe 2.
In late 2025, Coinbase and Mastercard held advanced talks to buy BVNK for around $2 billion, with sources placing the possible range at $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion 3.

The acquisition underscores Mastercard’s bid to accelerate stablecoin-based money movement

Mastercard’s chief product officer said the purchase aimed to reach the market faster than building similar tools in-house 4.
The deal lands as rules for stablecoins and tokenized deposits become clearer, which Mastercard has said supports a push beyond card payments into blockchain-based transfers 4.
Adding a stablecoin infrastructure provider could move Mastercard from pilots into wider production use, plus more always-on settlement. The cited sources do not include a public commitment to full 24/7/365 settlement across its network 5.
Mastercard said the acquisition supports cross-border remittances, business payments, and payouts using stablecoins, which it says can improve speed, cost, and availability 4.