Mastercard is expanding settlement support to USDC, PYUSD, USDG, USDP, and RLUSD, opening the door for issuers and payment processors to manage liquidity with fewer limits tied to traditional banking hours. The update is aimed at a clear operational shift: more frequent obligations can be settled across the day instead of waiting for standard cutoff windows. In practical terms, Mastercard is moving closer to a continuous settlement model for global payments.
Stablecoins move deeper into settlement operations
USDC, issued by Circle, is already being used in pilot on-chain settlements in selected markets. Mastercard is now extending that support to additional dollar-backed assets, including PayPal USD and RLUSD, which is native to the Ripple ecosystem. Raj Dhamodharan, a Mastercard executive, said the next phase for stablecoins is real-world utility, especially in settlement workflows where timing and liquidity matter most.
The change targets a long-standing friction point in payments infrastructure. Financial institutions often need to wait for conventional banking hours to complete certain obligations. With stablecoin-based settlement rails available, those actions can happen more often. The effect is straightforward: faster settlement cadence.
Multiple blockchain networks in the design
The supported stablecoins will be available across XRP Ledger, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Base. Mastercard’s multi-network strategy is intended to reduce dependence on a single infrastructure stack while improving interoperability across different financial systems.
The report highlights XRP Ledger as an open-source blockchain closely aligned with the Ripple ecosystem, known in payments settings for fast transfers and low transaction costs. For Mastercard, adding several networks is not just a technical expansion. It also spreads settlement activity across more than one blockchain environment.
US and Latin America come first
The first rollout phase includes ARQ, CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank, and Nuvei. These institutions are expected to bridge traditional banking channels with blockchain-based payment flows. Initial implementation will focus on the US and Latin America, while broader global deployment is expected through 2026.
The report says this step builds on Mastercard’s earlier pilot work and comes with a stronger compliance footing. It also points to the company’s New York BitLicense approval as support for that expansion. At the same time, Mastercard is increasing its involvement in crypto payments infrastructure and deepening links with Ripple’s partner network.
The broader signal is that stablecoins are moving beyond the label of experimental digital assets and into practical financial settlement use. The report specifically notes that RLUSD is gaining more visibility within that shift, including recent exposure in the Turkish market.