Connecting Web3 with everyday payments! Mastercard launches the "Crypto Partnership Program," bringing together 85 companies to promote on-chain payments.

According to an official announcement from the payments giant Mastercard, the company announced the launch of a new “Crypto Partner Program” on March 11. This global initiative brings together over 85 native crypto companies and financial institutions, aiming to deeply integrate blockchain technology innovations into everyday commercial payments and promote compliant, scalable on-chain payment solutions.
(Background: Visa and Mastercard dismiss the idea that stablecoins can easily disrupt daily payments in the short term, stating existing systems are already quite user-friendly.)
(Additional context: What would happen if Visa and Mastercard fully adopted stablecoin payments?)

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• Bringing together over 85 companies, focusing on cross-border and B2B payments
• Combining blockchain speed with traditional card networks
• Continuing long-term digital asset strategies

Traditional payment giants are accelerating their embrace of Web3. According to Mastercard’s latest official announcement on March 11, the company officially launched a new global initiative called the Mastercard Crypto Partner Program. This program aims to build a bridge between blockchain innovation and everyday commercial payments, further promoting real-world applications of digital assets.

Bringing together over 85 companies, focusing on cross-border and B2B payments

Mastercard states that digital assets have entered a new development phase. Cryptocurrencies that previously operated parallel to existing financial systems are now increasingly used to address practical needs such as cross-border remittances, B2B fund transfers, corporate settlements, and fund disbursements.

To capture this trend, the new Crypto Partner Program has gathered over 85 industry leaders, including crypto-native companies, payment providers, and traditional financial institutions. The program will offer participants a forum for in-depth dialogue and collaboration, aiming to establish a shared framework that promotes ecosystem innovation while maintaining industry standards and responsible growth.

Combining blockchain speed with traditional card networks

Raj Dhamodharan, EVP of Digital Asset & Blockchain Products at Mastercard, and Sherri Haymond, EVP of Digital Commerce, emphasized in the announcement that the next phase of on-chain payments must be built on “collaboration.”

Through this program, participating companies will be able to work directly with Mastercard’s team to co-design future products and services. The core focus is on “practical execution”—the goal is to seamlessly combine the speed and programmability of digital assets with Mastercard’s existing global card network and commercial payment flows, transforming them into compliant use cases that operate across markets and integrate smoothly into daily business.

Continuing long-term digital asset strategies

In fact, this is not Mastercard’s first foray into the crypto space. The company states that the new partnership program builds on its long-term investments in the digital asset ecosystem. Over the past few years, Mastercard has continued to promote industry innovation and growth through initiatives like the “Start Path” startup incubator focused on blockchain and digital assets, as well as the “Engage” platform dedicated to proprietary crypto card projects.

Mastercard reaffirmed that as digital asset technology matures, the company will continue to focus on its core strengths: building trust, setting standards, and connecting different systems at scale to ensure that “future innovations work seamlessly with existing infrastructure.”