Mastercard to Buy BVNK for Up to $1.8B in Stablecoin Infrastructure

Mastercard to acquire BVNK for up to $1.8B, expanding stablecoin infrastructure as traditional payment networks push further into crypto rails.

Rich by Coin

2026-03-18

Mastercard said it will acquire the stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK for as much as $1.8 billion, four months after negotiations between BVNK and Coinbase Global for a roughly $2 billion deal fell apart. The purchase price includes $300 million in contingent payments, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday. Mastercard, based in Purchase, New York, earlier this month unveiled a global partnership network with more than 85 digital-asset firms and other crypto-related companies to bridge the gap between traditional and non-traditional payment methods.

The crypto exchange Coinbase acknowledged a potential acquisition of London-based BVNK late last year before the parties terminated the conversations in November. Traditional payment networks such as Mastercard and Visa are positioning themselves to remain the payment players of choice as emerging technologies become more prominent.