Why Mastercard Aims to Invest $2B in a Firm You May Not Recognize
Mastercard is said to be in advanced negotiations to acquire the distributed record company ZeroHash for as much as $2 billion, as reported by Fortune. You may not be familiar with Zero Hash, and that’s perfectly okay; it isn’t really designed for everyday users.
Zero Hash operates in the background, enabling other businesses to provide crypto functionalities without the need to develop complex technology or navigate regulatory requirements themselves. Think of it as a “crypto backend.” They manage everything from wallets and trading to stablecoins and regulation, while applications or banks simply interface with their system through an easy API.
Thus, if a fintech application desires to allow users to buy, sell, or transfer crypto, Zero Hash facilitates this discreetly in the background. They are licensed in several regions and already collaborate with prominent firms like Stripe, Franklin Templeton, Ramp, and Transak.
JUST IN: Mastercard to acquire crypto startup Zerohash for nearly $2 billion, Fortune reports. pic.twitter.com/b5sdBXoBCQ
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) October 29, 2025
DISCOVER: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025
Why Consider Acquiring ZeroHash?
Mastercard has been gradually entering the crypto space. The prospective acquisition of Zero Hash appears logical. The primary motivation? Regulatory regulation and licensing.
Zero Hash already possesses licenses and regulatory endorsements across various regions, which means that acquiring them could save Mastercard numerous hours navigating legal and compliance challenges. It would also provide an efficient path to adhering to global crypto regulations.
Moreover, Mastercard has been investigating stablecoin-driven settlements and tokenization; they even conducted trials with USDC. Zero Hash could offer them an established network to transform those trials into actual products.
Additionally, as Zero Hash’s API-driven model is tailored for empowering other companies’ financial instruments, it aligns seamlessly with Mastercard’s business approach. Owning Zero Hash would enable Mastercard to deliver “crypto-as-a-service” directly to banks, fintech firms, and payment services.
DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025
CT not knowing who Zerohash is tells you all you need to know.
Learn the industry players
— noegrets
(@noegrets3) October 29, 2025
With Solana’s recent partnership with Western Union stirring the financial sector, moves like this may be Mastercard’s method of keeping pace. If successful, anticipate other large players such as Visa, PayPal, and Stripe to hasten their crypto strategies as well.
DISCOVER: Best Meme Coin ICOs to Invest in 2025
Join The 99Bitcoins Update Discord Here For The Latest Crypto market Updates
Key Takeaways
- Mastercard’s rumored $2B acquisition of Zero Hash is focused on bypassing protracted licensing and regulation obstacles.
- Zero Hash’s technology may enable Mastercard to swiftly introduce crypto-as-a-service for banks and fintechs, creating competitive pressure on rivals like Visa and PayPal.
The post Why Mastercard Wants to Spend $2B on a Company You’ve Never Heard Of appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
