Mastercard in Advanced Talks to Acquire Crypto Infrastructure Firm Zerohash for Up to $2B

Mastercard is negotiating a potential $1.5B-$2B acquisition of Zerohash, a crypto infrastructure startup specializing in stablecoin and blockchain payment rails. The deal would mark one of the payment giant's largest forays into digital asset infrastructure as it competes with Visa and PayPal in the blockchain payments race.

Zerohash's technology enables financial institutions to offer cryptocurrency trading, stablecoin transactions, and asset tokenization. The Chicago-based firm previously achieved unicorn status after raising $100M in funding. Sources caution the deal may still fall through, but successful completion would significantly expand Mastercard's crypto capabilities.

The acquisition aligns with growing institutional adoption of blockchain-based payment solutions, particularly for cross-border transactions in emerging markets. Zerohash's infrastructure could help Mastercard reduce settlement times and costs for fintech partners and consumers.