Mastercard to acquire BVNK in stablecoin push

Mastercard is acquiring BVNK, a stablecoin payments infrastructure firm, for up to $1.8 billion. The deal includes $300 million in contingent payments and is expected to close before end of 2026. BVNK, founded in 2021, bridges fiat and stablecoin payments across 130+ countries and holds licences in multiple geographies. Mastercard aims to accelerate its entry into blockchain-based cross-border remittances and business payments, competing with Visa in the fast-growing stablecoin segment. Analysts view the acquisition as strategically sound given BVNK's geographic reach and hard-to-replicate regulatory licences.