Circle launches settlements via Mastercard and Finastra
28.08.2025
Circle has announced two strategic partnerships aimed at integrating the USDC (USD Coin) stablecoin into traditional financial networks.The first collaboration is with Mastercard: the company now enables merchants and acquirers in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) to settle in USDC and EURC. The first providers to adopt the new functionality will be Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services.The second partnership is with Finastra: this London-based software provider has integrated USDC into its Global PAYplus platform. The system processes more than $5 trillion in cross-border payments daily. The collaboration allows banks in 50 countries to conduct international transfers in USDC, even when payment instructions remain in traditional currencies.Both partnerships reinforce the growing role of USDC, supported by regulatory progress – particularly the adoption in July of the federal stablecoin regulatory framework (GENIUS Act) in the United States.Earlier, on July 31, Circle partnered with OKX to enable zero-fee conversions of USDC into U.S. dollars, strengthening the stablecoin’s global liquidity – especially across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.These moves by Circle align with the global trend: banks and merchants are seeking faster, cheaper, and more efficient payment solutions. Integrating USDC into financial infrastructure helps reduce costs, bypass traditional correspondent banking, and accelerate settlements while preserving fiat aspects through legacy rails.
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