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According to The Block, Mizuho analysts Dan Dolev and Alexander Jenkins stated that after Mastercard's acquisition of the stablecoin startup BVNK, it is expected to become a "network connector" between fiat and cryptocurrency. The analysts pointed out that stablecoins will serve as accelerators for existing networks rather than threats, especially in areas such as B2B cross-border payments, remittances, the creator economy, and the gig economy, where card penetration is limited, and stablecoins can unleash faster, cheaper, and round-the-clock payment capabilities.The analysts maintained Mastercard's "outperform" rating, with a target stock price of $666. Mastercard previously announced plans to acquire BVNK for $1.8 billion, which provides fiat and cryptocurrency deposit and withdrawal channels, stablecoin and tokenized deposit conversions, cross-chain functionality, and wallet infrastructure. Mizuho noted that BVNK's licensing framework allows clients to quickly launch their businesses and supports a long-term transition to self-managed banking infrastructure; meanwhile, Mastercard has joined a global crypto partnership program consisting of over 85 crypto-native companies.

Investment bank Mizuho stated that after acquiring the stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK, Mastercard is expected to become a "network connector" linking crypto assets with fiat currency systems, further expanding its payment ecosystem.Analysis indicates that stablecoins will not undermine Mastercard's core card payment business; instead, they will serve as an "accelerator" for its network, particularly in areas such as B2B cross-border payments, remittances, and the creator and gig economy, facilitating faster, lower-cost, 24/7 capital flow. Mizuho maintains an "outperform" rating on Mastercard and sets a target price of $666.Analysts believe that in the aforementioned emerging scenarios, the penetration rate of traditional bank cards remains relatively low, and stablecoins are expected to fill this gap, while card payments will continue to serve as the core entry point for consumers. It is reported that Mastercard has agreed to acquire BVNK for up to $1.8 billion. This transaction is seen as an important step in continuing its role as a "network connector," expanding its business into the conversion and settlement between stablecoins and fiat currencies.Against the backdrop of a gradually loosening regulatory environment and traditional payment giants like Visa and Stripe accelerating their layout in stablecoins, stablecoins are becoming an important growth direction for the global payment system.

Katie Haun, founder and CEO of the crypto venture capital firm Haun Ventures, stated in an interview with CNBC, "What is happening in the global payments space is essentially an arms race. Mastercard this week acquired the stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, officially entering the stablecoin space. This is one of Mastercard's largest acquisitions ever. Stablecoins can transfer digital dollars instantly and frictionlessly on a global scale, which is a truly significant innovation. The transaction volume in this space has reached $12.5 trillion, and we believe this scale will only continue to grow in the AI era."On the regulatory front, Katie Haun mentioned, "This week, the CFTC and SEC jointly released guidance on what constitutes a security and what constitutes a commodity, which is a core issue in the crypto industry. I have heard that the Senate Banking Committee is advancing a compromise proposal that could be announced as early as today, and I am cautiously optimistic about it. But the key issue is that Congress effectively has only three working months left before the midterm elections, and they need to quickly push the CLARITY Act to a vote after the Easter recess." Speaking about the combination of AI and blockchain, Katie Haun stated, "AI agents will increasingly replace humans in executing transactions and payments. If you think AI agents will use the same payment systems as humans, I believe that is a mistake. Agents require 24/7, instant settlement on a global scale, and stablecoins are the infrastructure built for this new era."

According to Bloomberg, Mastercard plans to acquire the stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, which includes $300 million in contingent consideration. This acquisition news comes just four months after the failed merger talks between BVNK and Coinbase, which were valued at about $2 billion. Both parties jointly issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the transaction.

According to Bloomberg, Mastercard is recruiting over 85 digital asset companies, payment providers, and financial institutions to join a new global partnership program, which includes Circle, Binance, and Gemini.The program aims to maintain the connection between crypto payments and the Mastercard network, while positioning stablecoins as an alternative to traditional payment rails.

According to market news, Binance, PayPal, and Ripple have joined Mastercard's new initiative in the blockchain payment sector.

Mastercard and Google jointly released the open standard framework Verifiable Intent, designed specifically for the "agent commerce" scenario where AI agents autonomously complete shopping transactions. This framework utilizes cryptographic technology to create tamper-proof authorization records when AI agents execute transactions on behalf of users, integrating identity, intent, and actions into a single privacy-protecting audit trail, addressing the issue where merchants and issuing institutions cannot confirm whether consumers truly authorized a transaction when AI agents place orders autonomously.The framework employs selective disclosure technology to ensure that parties only receive necessary information and integrates widely adopted industry standards such as those from the FIDO Alliance and EMVCo. Mastercard stated that Verifiable Intent will be integrated into its Agent Pay API in the coming months.Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency camp is also actively positioning itself. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong pointed out that while AI agents cannot open bank accounts, they can hold cryptocurrency wallets, indicating that blockchain infrastructure may be more suited to the future of the AI agent economy.

American digital bank SoFi has announced a strategic partnership with Mastercard to integrate SoFi's stablecoin SoFiUSD into Mastercard's global payment network and its digital asset platform, Mastercard Multi-Token Network (MTN). SoFiUSD is built on a public, permissionless blockchain and was first announced by SoFi at the end of last year.Sherri Haymond, Mastercard's Global Digital Commerce Lead, stated that this collaboration aims to expand the global application scale of trusted digital currencies. SoFi had resumed its cryptocurrency trading services last November after previously suspending related operations in 2023 due to regulatory uncertainties.This partnership is also the latest move by Mastercard to continue its blockchain strategy. In June of last year, Mastercard partnered with Chainlink to allow cardholders to purchase cryptocurrencies directly on-chain.

According to market news, Mastercard is hiring a Director of Cryptocurrency Liquidity to further delve into the DeFi space.The role's positioning includes:Card-based cryptocurrency entry + issuance linked to stablecoinsScalable and stable digital currencies, tokenized assets, and DeFi payment processesUpgrading network rules and adding risk control measures for Web3 transactions

According to informed sources, Mastercard is considering a strategic investment in blockchain infrastructure company Zerohash after the acquisition negotiations were terminated.Previously, the acquisition talks ended as Zerohash chose to remain independent. According to reports from last October, Mastercard had entered the later stages of negotiations to acquire Zerohash, with a potential purchase price of up to $2 billion. Mastercard declined to comment on this.

According to AmbCrypto, data from blockchain analysis firm Artemis shows that the monthly transaction volume of cryptocurrency card payments has exceeded $15 billion, while the monthly transaction volume of peer-to-peer (P2P) stablecoin transfers is around $11 billion.Cryptocurrency cards have become the main driver of on-chain stablecoin activity. Among them, Visa accounts for over 80% of the stablecoin card transaction volume tracked in the report; Mastercard has a smaller but growing share, while the contribution from regional card programs is negligible.

Binance has suspended Ukrainian users from using fiat payment service provider Bifinity UAB for withdrawals via Visa and Mastercard due to changes in regulatory policies. A Binance spokesperson confirmed this news and added that the announcement regarding the change in payment methods only applies to Ukrainian users who have previously used Bifinity services.This change will affect some fiat deposit and withdrawal methods for Ukrainian users, but the functions for depositing, withdrawing, and trading cryptocurrencies will remain unaffected. Users can still use Visa and Mastercard for deposits and purchasing cryptocurrencies, Apple Pay and Google Pay are still available for account top-ups, and Swift transfers continue to support deposits and withdrawals.

According to Coinedition, Mastercard has announced a strategic alliance with the ADI Foundation aimed at expanding the use cases for stablecoin settlements and tokenized assets in the Middle East.The collaboration will support domestic and international cross-border transactions through stablecoin settlements, launch stablecoin-linked payment cards, and explore tokenized real-world asset use cases, while providing digital asset support for remittances and B2B trade processes. Mastercard stated that this move aligns with the UAE's goal of becoming a hub for digital assets and blockchain infrastructure, offering faster settlement speeds, clearer transaction visibility, and more resilient payment processes for banks, fintech companies, merchants, and consumers.