# Mastercard Drops Zerohash to Go All-In on $1.8 Billion BVNK Deal, Building a Single Stablecoin Rail

*2026-05-26 10:01 UTC · Business · 1 min read*

> Mastercard abandoned a planned investment in Zerohash, doubling down on its $1.8 billion acquisition of stablecoin startup BVNK to build a single integrated payment rail.

Mastercard has formally walked away from a planned investment in rival crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash, signaling it will pour its stablecoin ambitions into the $1.8 billion acquisition of London-based startup BVNK instead. The pullback, reported on May 25, leaves Mastercard betting on one integrated stablecoin ecosystem rather than spreading wagers across multiple providers.

The BVNK deal — announced March 17 — carries a $1.5 billion base price plus up to $300 million in performance-based payments, making it Mastercard's biggest crypto acquisition ever. BVNK, founded in 2021 and valued at roughly $750 million, processes more than $30 billion in annual payments and operates across 130-plus countries on all major blockchains. Mastercard plans to fold its technology into Mastercard Move, its cross-border remittance network.

The move matters because it shows traditional payment giants absorbing stablecoin rails to stay competitive as on-chain payment volume swells past $350 billion a year. The acquisition is expected to close before the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

## Sources

- [techtimes.com](https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317175/20260525/mastercard-bvnk-acquisition-zerohash-dropped-18b-stablecoin-bet-takes-shape.htm)
- [cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/17/mastercard-acquiring-stablecoin-startup-bvnk-in-crypto-bet.html)
- [investor.mastercard.com](https://investor.mastercard.com/investor-news/investor-news-details/2026/Mastercard-to-Acquire-BVNK-to-Connect-On-Chain-Payments-and-Fiat-Rails/default.aspx)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/1716-mastercard-drops-zerohash-to-go-all-in-on-1-8-billion-bvnk-deal-building-a
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/1789-mastercard-opustil-zerohash-a-vsadil-vse-na-akvizici-bvnk-za-1-8-miliardy