Mastercard is reportedly in late-stage talks to buy blockchain startup ZeroHash for up to $2 billion, according to Fortune. You may not have heard of Zero Hash before, and that’s okay; It is actually not designed for regular users.
Zero Hash runs behind the scenes, helping other companies offer crypto features without having to develop all the complicated technology or deal with regulations themselves. Think of it as a “crypto backend.” They handle everything from wallets and trading to stablecoins and compliance, while apps or banks simply connect to their system with a simple API.
So if a Fintech application wants to allow users to buy, sell or send cryptocurrencies, Zero Hash does it silently in the background. They are licensed in multiple regions and already work with big names 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: The best new cryptocurrencies to invest in 2025
So why purchase ZeroHash?
MasterCard has been dipping his toe into cryptocurrencies for a while now. The possible acquisition of Zero Hash could make a lot of sense for them. The most important reason? Regulation and licenses.
Zero Hash already has licenses and regulatory approvals in multiple regions, meaning purchasing them could save Mastercard years of legal and compliance work. It would also give them a fast track to comply with crypto regulations globally.
On top of that, Mastercard has been exploring deals based on stablecoins and tokenized assets; They even conducted pilot tests using USDC. Zero Hash could give them a turnkey platform to scale those experiments into real products.
And since Zero Hash’s API-based setup is designed to power other companies’ financial tools, it fits perfectly into Mastercard’s business model. Owning it would allow Mastercard to deploy “crypto-as-a-service” directly to banks, fintechs and payment processors.
DISCOVER: 20+ upcoming cryptocurrencies that will explode in 2025
CT without knowing who Zerohash is tells you everything you need to know.
Get to know the industry players
— noegrets
(@noegrets3) October 29, 2025
With Solana’s new deal with Western Union shaking up the financial world, moves like this could be Mastercard’s way of keeping up. If they succeed, expect other giants like Visa, PayPal, and Stripe to accelerate their cryptocurrency operations as well.
DISCOVER: The best Meme Coin ICOs to invest in 2025
Join the 99Bitcoins News Discord here for the latest market updates
Key takeaways
-
Mastercard’s rumored $2 billion move for Zero Hash is all about jumping years of cryptocurrency licensing and compliance hurdles.
-
Zero Hash’s technology could allow Mastercard to instantly launch cryptocurrencies as a service for banks and fintechs, putting pressure on rivals such as Visa and PayPal.
The post Why Mastercard Wants to Spend $2 Billion on a Company You’ve Never Heard of appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
