Mastercard this week expanded settlement capabilities to include intraday, weekend, and holiday transactions using regulated stablecoins across multiple blockchain networks. The move pairs stablecoins with traditional fiat rails without replacing existing systems, targeting faster cross-border payments and treasury operations. Initial partners including ARQ and Cross River are rolling out the service in the U.S. and Latin America starting immediately.
Eight Networks Activated
Settlement now works across Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Tempo, and the XRP Ledger. Each blockchain carries the same settlement functionality. No network got special treatment in the rollout.
Stablecoin Partners Revealed
Circle’s USDC, Paxos-issued PYUSD, USDG and USDP, Ripple’s RLUSD, and SoFi’s SoFiUSD handle the settlements. Ripple called its RLUSD inclusion “landmark validation” that blockchain is ready for critical payment infrastructure. The company stressed growing demand for regulated stablecoins on public networks.
U.S. and Latin America First
ARQ (formerly DolarApp), CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank, and Nuvei are the launch partners. All focus on U.S. and Latin American markets initially. These firms will handle the stablecoin settlement for card transactions right away.
Security Stays Intact
Mastercard confirmed existing fraud safeguards and dispute processes remain unchanged. The system works as a back-end enhancement only. It’s designed for treasury operations and payouts—not trading. Real-world utility drives the implementation, not speculative activity.
Global Push This Year
Mastercard plans to expand the service to more regions and add new partners and stablecoins through 2026. Each new market needs regulatory approval first. The next country expansions should happen before summer ends.
