Mastercard is bringing two more stablecoins into its settlement infrastructure. The payments giant said it will now support Circle's USDC and Ripple's RLUSD as part of its 'always-on' economy initiative, which aims to keep digital payments flowing around the clock.
Expanding the stablecoin roster
The company already allowed certain banks and fintechs to settle transactions using blockchain-based assets. Adding USDC and RLUSD broadens that pipeline. Neither coin is new to crypto markets — USDC has long been the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, while RLUSD launched late last year — but Mastercard's integration gives them a direct channel into mainstream payment routing.
What 'always-on' means in practice
Traditional payment networks have scheduled settlement windows. Blockchains don't stop. That gap is what Mastercard's initiative tries to close. By letting settlement happen in stablecoins, the network can process payments any hour, any day. The company has said it wants to give businesses more flexibility, especially when cross-border timing matters.
How USDC and RLUSD differ
USDC is issued by Circle and runs on multiple blockchains, including Ethereum and Solana. RLUSD is Ripple's own stablecoin, native to the XRP Ledger but also available on Ethereum. Both are pegged 1-to-1 to the U.S. dollar. Mastercard did not say whether it will treat the two coins identically or apply different rules for each.
The rollout ahead
The expanded settlement capability is expected to go live later this year. Mastercard hasn't named which banks or partners will be the first to use it. The company declined to comment on whether other stablecoins might be added down the line.
