Mastercard adds USDC and RLUSD to settlement network, expands intraday and weekend options

Mastercard said it will expand its global settlement network to support regulated stablecoins including Circle's USDC and Ripple's RLUSD, alongside new intraday, weekend, and holiday settlement options aimed at improving liquidity and payment flexibility. The company said issuers and acquirers will be able to settle transactions using either traditional currencies or selected digital assets, using the same network infrastructure already in place. The new stablecoin capability is intended to complement existing settlement methods, not replace them. In addition to USDC and RLUSD, Mastercard said the framework will support Paxos-issued stablecoins, including PYUSD, USDG, and USDP, as well as SoFi's SoFiUSD. The company said these assets will be available across multiple blockchain networks, including Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Tempo, and XRPL. Mastercard said the initial rollout will begin with financial institutions and payment providers in the United States and Latin America. Early participants include ARQ (formerly DolarApp), CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank, and Nuvei. Executives from ARQ, Circle, Cross River, Lead Bank, Nuvei, Paxos, and Ripple said their organizations will support the initiative. Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president of Blockchain and Digital Assets at Mastercard, said the expansion is focused on settlement utility and liquidity management for time-sensitive payment flows. Mastercard said the model is designed for cross-border payments, treasury operations, and payout services where timing and transparency are critical. The company added that existing security standards, fraud protections, and dispute processes will remain in place as the new settlement options are introduced. Further expansion is planned through 2026, subject to regulatory requirements.