USDC, RLUSD and other regulated stablecoins join intraday and holiday settlement as Mastercard moves toward an always-on payments model
Mastercard is expanding how issuers and acquirers can settle transactions on its global network, adding intraday, weekend and holiday settlement for fiat currencies alongside the option to settle on-chain using regulated stablecoins.
The changes give partners more control over settlement timing and liquidity management, particularly relevant for cross-border payments, treasury operations and payouts, where timing and transparency carry real cost implications.
On the stablecoin side, Mastercard will support settlement using Circle’s USDC, Paxos-issued PYUSD, USDG and USDP, Ripple’s RLUSD, and SoFi’s SoFiUSD, across blockchain networks including Arbitrum, Base, Canton, Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Tempo and XRPL. ARQ, CBW Bank, Cross River, Lead Bank and Nuvei are expected to be among the first to support stablecoin settlement in the US and Latin America, with further expansion planned through 2026.
Crucially, the new options run through Mastercard’s existing infrastructure rather than a separate system, meaning partners retain the same security standards, fraud safeguards and dispute processes they currently rely on while gaining access to digital asset settlement alongside traditional rails.
“The next phase of stablecoin adoption is about real-world utility, especially in settlement, where timing and liquidity matter most,” said Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president for Blockchain and Digital Assets. “By introducing intraday and weekend settlement options across our global network, we’re expanding how partners manage liquidity and operate in an always-on digital economy while maintaining the trust, resilience and safeguards they expect from Mastercard.”
The move builds on earlier Mastercard pilots and live stablecoin deployments, and reflects a broader pattern among major payment networks treating regulated stablecoins as a settlement tool rather than a speculative asset class, integrated into existing rails rather than positioned as a replacement for them.
Ripple’s Jack McDonald described the inclusion of RLUSD in Mastercard’s settlement network as “a landmark validation that blockchain technology is ready for the world’s most critical payment infrastructure.” Lead Bank CEO Jackie Reses framed the shift in similar terms, calling 24/7 on-chain settlement “a foundational step toward a more efficient, always-on financial system.”
The rollout will continue globally over time, subject to regulatory approval in each market, with additional regions, partners and stablecoins expected to be added.