Mastercard launches crypto partner program, MiCA deadline looms, no-KYC cards crackdown intensifies
2026-03-14
Mastercard announced a global Crypto Partner Program uniting over 85 crypto-native companies including Binance, Circle, Ripple, Gemini, PayPal, and Paxos. Participants will collaborate on future products that bring digital asset speed and programmability together with established card rails. This could significantly expand the crypto card landscape for both US and European users.
Source: The Block Related: Crypto.com Visa Card, Gemini Credit Card, Nexo Card.
Visa and Bridge (acquired by Stripe for $1.1B) are expanding stablecoin-linked card issuance from 18 countries to over 100 by year-end. Platforms like Phantom and MetaMask already use Bridge's infrastructure to let users spend stablecoins at 175M+ Visa merchants. On-chain settlement is being evaluated for future flows.
Source: CoinDesk Related: MetaMask Card, Phantom Cash Card.
Mastercard terminated UnCash's access to its network for issuing cards without proper identity verification, marking a significant enforcement action against the corporate card loophole that no-KYC providers have exploited. Separately, Paywithus announced mandatory KYC for all users after regulatory pressure. The window for anonymous crypto cards continues to narrow.
Market Context: The Mastercard and Visa announcements this week signal that traditional payment networks are accelerating their crypto integration strategies. With MiCA's July deadline approaching and card networks actively enforcing KYC compliance, the industry is consolidating around regulated, identity-verified products.