In a landmark partnership blending traditional finance with digital assets, Mastercard and MoonPay have announced a global collaboration to enable real-time stablecoin payments across Mastercard’s extensive merchant network.
Revealed in a press release on Thursday, the initiative allows both businesses and consumers to pay and be paid using stablecoins, which will be instantly converted into fiat currency at the point of sale. The integration will enable stablecoin-linked payments at over 150 million Mastercard-accepting locations worldwide.
Turning Crypto Wallets into Global Spending Tools
At the center of the collaboration is Iron, MoonPay’s API-powered stablecoin infrastructure, acquired in March. Iron empowers crypto wallets to function like global digital bank accounts, making stablecoin payments seamless for both retail purchases and business disbursements.
Through this system, companies will be able to issue Mastercard-branded cards tied directly to users’ stablecoin wallets, allowing them to spend crypto like cash securely and instantly.
“Together with MoonPay, we’re building innovative and secure connectivity between crypto and mainstream finance ecosystems, grounded by trust and driven by scale,” said Sherri Haymond, Co-President of Global Partnerships at Mastercard.
A Game-Changer for Global Payouts
Beyond consumer payments, the collaboration aims to transform payouts to digital creators, freelancers, and gig workers using stablecoin rails. This system provides a viable alternative for cross-border payments, especially in regions with limited banking access or high remittance fees.
With over 500 crypto platforms integrated and more than 100 million users, MoonPay already supports a growing base of stablecoin users. The data shows roughly 20 million wallets engage in monthly stablecoin transactions, while 120 million users globally hold stablecoin balances, highlighting massive demand for utility-driven crypto solutions.
“With Mastercard, we’re bringing convenient, trusted stablecoin-enabled cards to crypto users around the world,” said Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO of MoonPay.
Expanding Mastercard’s Crypto Footprint
This partnership builds on Mastercard’s expanding role in the digital asset space, supporting broader adoption of stablecoins and blockchain-powered financial tools. The company continues to develop infrastructure to bridge centralized finance with the blockchain economy, now with a focus on real-world utility and global scalability.
By combining Mastercard’s global payments network with MoonPay’s crypto-native tech stack, this partnership marks a critical step toward making stablecoins usable in everyday commerce. With real-time conversion, trusted branding, and global reach, it could accelerate the mainstream adoption of digital assets in daily financial life.
