Mastercard is in advanced negotiations to purchase Zerohash, a startup that provides stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure, for a price reportedly between $1.5bn and $2bn, reported Fortune citing sources. The negotiations are not complete, and the proposed transaction could still fail to materialise, the report said. Zerohash, established in 2017 and headquartered in Chicago, offers infrastructure that supports stablecoins and crypto trading. Its services include tools for firms to deploy crypto trad ...

This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Mastercard remains on the hunt for potential acquisitions, but the card network’s executives declined Thursday to comment on a report the company may acquire the crypto infrastructure business Zerohash. The card network is in the late stages of talks to buy the startup for as much as $2 billion, the digital magazine Fortune reported Thursday, citing unnamed sourc ...

Core Insights - Visa reported a 12% increase in net revenue for fiscal Q4 2025, reaching $10.7 billion, driven by healthy consumer spending [3][6] - The company experienced a 9% year-over-year increase in payments volume and a 12% growth in cross-border volume, indicating strong consumer engagement [4][6] - Visa's service revenue grew by 10%, while data processing revenue rose by 17%, showcasing the breadth of its business [5] Revenue and Growth Metrics - Payments volume increased by 9% year-over-year in constant dollars, up from 8% growth in Q3 [4] - Total processed transactions rose by 10%, matching the pace of Q3 [4] - Cross-border volume grew by 12%, consistent with Q3 performance [4] Client Incentives and Impact - Client incentives increased by 17%, which negatively impacted net revenue growth, leading to a deceleration from Q3's 14% growth [5][6] - Despite higher incentives, Visa's earnings profile remains solid, with non-GAAP earnings per share increasing by 10% in Q4 and 14% for the full year [6] Financial Performance and Shareholder Returns - Visa returned $22.8 billion to shareholders in fiscal 2025 through repurchases and dividends, including $6.1 billion in Q4 [8][9] - The quarterly dividend was raised by 14% to $0.670 per share, reflecting the company's commitment to returning capital to shareholders [9] Valuation and Market Position - Visa's stock trades at approximately 34 times its fiscal 2025 GAAP earnings per share of $10.20, indicating high expectations for continued double-digit net revenue growth [7] - The company's high-margin profile, with a net profit margin of about 50%, suggests limited room for disappointment if consumer spending weakens [7][11] - Overall, the stock is viewed as a hold, reflecting strong business fundamentals but high valuation [10][11]

Core Insights - Mastercard is close to acquiring Zerohash for a deal valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, marking its significant entry into stablecoin infrastructure [1] - The acquisition aligns with the trend of global payment firms seeking new revenue streams from blockchain-based settlement, facilitated by clearer regulatory standards in the US and Europe [1] Group 1: Acquisition Details - Zerohash provides API-driven tools for banks, fintechs, and brokerages to facilitate crypto trading, tokenization, and stablecoin transfers, with over $2 billion in tokenized fund flows reported in April [2] - Mastercard aims for direct control over the infrastructure rather than a loose integration, as part of its strategy to scale regulated digital-asset services [3] Group 2: Strategic Implications - The acquisition could transform how Mastercard handles cross-border transactions, allowing it to settle stablecoin transfers internally without relying on external partners [6] - This shift indicates a strategic move away from consumer-facing wallets towards building the foundational infrastructure for regulated blockchain payments [5]

Core Insights - Mastercard is in advanced discussions to acquire stablecoin infrastructure firm Zerohash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, indicating a strategic move to enhance its presence in the stablecoin market [1] - The acquisition would follow another potential deal with BVNK, also valued at approximately $2 billion, highlighting the growing interest of traditional financial firms in stablecoin technology [2] - The stablecoin market has seen significant growth, with a market capitalization exceeding $312 billion, and predictions suggest it could reach $750 billion by the end of 2026 [4] Company Developments - Zerohash recently closed a $104 million Series D-2 funding round at a $1 billion valuation, raising a total of $275 million since its inception in 2017 [5] - The company has established partnerships with major financial institutions, including a recent collaboration with Morgan Stanley to enable trading of cryptocurrencies on the E*Trade platform [6][7] - Mastercard's spokesperson has refrained from commenting on the acquisition speculation, maintaining a level of confidentiality around the discussions [2] Industry Trends - The stablecoin sector is experiencing increased activity due to a more favorable political and regulatory environment, including the passage of the GENIUS Act, which provides a framework for stablecoin issuance and trading [3] - There is a growing belief among market participants that the stablecoin market value will exceed $360 billion before February, reflecting optimism in the sector's future [4]

Core Insights - Fiserv, Inc. experienced a significant decline in share price, dropping over $59 (-47%) following the release of disappointing Q3 2025 financial results, which analysts described as "abysmal" [1][4][6] Financial Performance - The company reported a sequential decline in Q3 2025 adjusted revenue and reduced organic revenue growth expectations to 3.5%-4% [4] - Fiserv also lowered its earnings per share (EPS) outlook to $8.50-$8.60 [4] - The market reaction resulted in a loss of $32 billion in shareholder value in a single day [6] Management Changes - Following the poor financial results, Fiserv announced the departure of its chief financial officer and a shake-up in its board of directors, including the replacement of the non-executive Chairman and the head of the audit committee, effective January 1, 2026 [4][5] Investigation - Hagens Berman, a national shareholders rights firm, has initiated an investigation into whether Fiserv misled investors regarding its financial performance and growth prospects [2][6] - The investigation is focused on the propriety of Fiserv's statements about its business and growth expectations [3][6] Leadership Insights - The new CEO, Michael Lyons, indicated that a rigorous analysis of the company's operations led to a recalibration of previously optimistic growth assumptions set by prior leadership [5] - Lyons emphasized that several initiatives were found to be "short-term driven," prompting dissatisfaction with existing processes and subsequent leadership changes [5]

matic pol. Photo by BeInCrypto Polygon Labs and DeCard have partnered to allow holders of USDT and USDC to spend their stablecoins across more than 150 million merchants globally.  The integration, announced on October 29, 2025, marks one of the largest expansions of stablecoin usability to date. Addressing the Stablecoin Utility Gap Through this partnership, DeCard—formerly Diners Club Singapore—has added support for the Polygon network. It will allow instant deposits of Polygon-based stablecoins into ...

Group 1: Mastercard's Acquisition Plans - Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire blockchain infrastructure startup Zero Hash for approximately $1.5 billion to $2 billion as competition in stablecoin payments intensifies [1] - The potential acquisition comes as Mastercard may be losing out to Coinbase in bidding for another crypto payments firm, BVNK [1] Group 2: Stablecoin Market Growth - Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies tied to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, are emerging as a significant area for global payment flows, with projected payment volume reaching $1 trillion by 2030 [2] - The growth of stablecoin payments is driven by institutional adoption, FX settlement, and cross-border flows [2] Group 3: Industry Developments - Visa has announced plans to launch a tokenization platform to assist banks in issuing and managing stablecoins [3] - Stripe has acquired stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge for $1.1 billion and is developing its own blockchain rail with Paradigm [3] Group 4: Zero Hash's Performance - Zero Hash processed $2 billion in tokenized fund flows in the first four months of the year, indicating rising institutional demand for on-chain assets [4] - The startup raised $104 million in September, led by Interactive Brokers and Morgan Stanley [4]

Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire crypto startup Zerohash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, Fortune reported on Wednesday. ...

Core Insights - Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire the crypto and stablecoin infrastructure startup Zerohash for between $1.5 and $2 billion, marking a significant investment in the stablecoin sector [1] - Zerohash, founded in 2017, specializes in stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure, enabling payments and crypto trading, and has previously attracted attention from other major players like Coinbase [2][4] - The stablecoin market is gaining traction, with companies like Stripe and Coinbase making substantial investments in this area, indicating a shift towards blockchain technology for payment solutions [5] Company Developments - Zerohash has raised $104 million in funding at a $1 billion valuation, backed by investors such as Interactive Brokers and Apollo, highlighting its growth potential in the crypto infrastructure space [6] - The acquisition discussions follow Mastercard's previous negotiations with BVNK, another stablecoin startup, which has now entered an exclusivity agreement with Coinbase [2][3] Industry Trends - The rise of stablecoin companies is a notable trend in the crypto industry, with significant acquisitions like Stripe's purchase of Bridge for $1.1 billion, reflecting the increasing interest in stablecoins as a future payment method [4][5] - Proponents of stablecoins argue that they provide advantages over traditional payment systems, such as faster transaction speeds and lower processing costs, although the supporting infrastructure remains underdeveloped [5]