Mastercard said it will expand its settlement network to include USDC, RLUSD, and other regulated stablecoins, while also introducing intraday, weekend, and holiday settlement options. The company said issuers and acquirers will be able to settle transactions in traditional currencies or selected digital assets, a change aimed at improving liquidity management for payment flows that depend on timing.
Settlement framework includes USDC, RLUSD, and Paxos-issued tokens
Under the new model, Mastercard will support Circle’s USDC and stablecoins issued by Paxos, including PYUSD, USDG, and USDP. Ripple’s RLUSD and SoFi’s SoFiUSD are also being added as settlement choices. Mastercard said the stablecoin route is being introduced alongside existing settlement methods, not as a replacement for them.
Multiple blockchain networks are part of the rollout
The company said these assets will operate across several blockchain networks, including Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Tempo, and XRPL. Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president of Blockchain and Digital Assets, said the expansion is centered on settlement utility and liquidity management.
Initial participants span the U.S. and Latin America
The first phase will begin with financial institutions and payment providers in the United States and Latin America. Mastercard named ARQ, formerly DolarApp, CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank, and Nuvei among the early participants. Álvaro Correa of ARQ, Kash Razzaghi of Circle, Luca Cosentino of Cross River, Jackie Reses of Lead Bank, Phil Fayer of Nuvei, Peter Jonas of Paxos, and Jack McDonald of Ripple said their organizations will support the initiative.
Same network rails, with current protections kept in place
Mastercard said partners will access traditional and digital asset settlement through the same network infrastructure already in use today. The company added that existing security standards, fraud protections, and dispute processes will remain in place as the new options become available. It said the expanded model is built for cross-border payments, treasury operations, and payout services where timing and transparency matter. Broader expansion is planned through 2026, subject to regulatory requirements.