Mastercard Nears $2 Billion Acquisition of Crypto Startup Zerohash

Mastercard is poised to make one of its largest crypto bets yet with a potential $2 billion acquisition of Zerohash, a Chicago-based stablecoin infrastructure provider. The deal, reported by Fortune, would significantly expand Mastercard's capabilities in blockchain-based payments as it competes with Visa for dominance in the stablecoin sector.

Stablecoins have emerged as a critical bridge between traditional finance and crypto, offering near-instant settlement and minimal fees compared to credit card networks. Zerohash's technology could allow Mastercard to process transactions at a fraction of the 3.5% fees charged by conventional payment rails while settling in minutes rather than days.

The acquisition comes during unprecedented institutional demand for stable digital assets. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, these dollar-pegged tokens combine blockchain efficiency with price stability - making them increasingly attractive for cross-border payments and treasury management.