Mastercard plans to acquire startup Zerohash for $2 billion

Mastercard, a major financial services company, is reportedly in talks to acquire Zerohash, a startup specializing in infrastructure for cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. If the deal goes through, it will be one of Mastercard's biggest investments in stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to underlying assets such as the US dollar. Zerohash, founded in 2017 and based in Chicago, develops solutions for crypto payments and trading.

Source Fortune

With the growth of the crypto industry, companies involved in stablecoins are becoming increasingly popular. Mastercard had previously considered an acquisition but lost out to Coinbase, which signed a deal with BVNK. The stablecoin market promises fast processing times and reduced transaction costs, attracting the attention of major players such as Mastercard and Stripe, which are actively seeking startups to deepen their involvement in this area.

If the deal is confirmed, it could change Mastercard's business model, as the popularity of stablecoins could threaten its traditional transaction fee revenue. Over the past few years, Mastercard has also sought to strengthen its position in the crypto world by developing partnerships and groups focused on new technologies in this field.