Mastercard targets crypto clout
The news: Mastercard is reportedly nearing a deal to acquire Zerohash for as much as $2 billion, per Fortune.
Zerohash provides infrastructure to connect fiat payment systems with crypto and stablecoins. In the US, it has a money transmitter license and also operates a subsidiary that offers liquidity services.
It’s unclear whether Zerohash Liquidity Services would be part of Mastercard’s acquisition.
How we got here: Mastercard really wants to make a splashy crypto acquisition.
Just two weeks ago, Fortune reported that Mastercard and Coinbase were in the running to acquire BVNK, another crypto infrastructure provider. Coincidentally, that deal price was also valued at about $2 billion. Those talks seem to be shifting toward…
