Stripe, Mastercard, and Circle have entered into agreements to acquire three stablecoin payment operators for a combined maximum value of approximately $3.3 billion.
Stripe completed its acquisition of Bridge in February 2025 for $1.1 billion to enhance its cross-border payment capabilities. The company plans to expand its stablecoin-backed card programs to over 100 countries by the end of 2026.
Mastercard finalized the acquisition of BVNK on August 3, 2026, for up to $1.8 billion. This deal, representing the company's largest digital-asset purchase, provides access to a network facilitating fiat-to-stablecoin transfers across more than 130 countries.
Circle announced a $400 million all-stock deal to acquire Tazapay on September 8, 2026. The transaction is expected to close in 2027, subject to regulatory approval. Tazapay currently processes over $25 billion in annualized payment volume, with approximately 60% linked to stablecoins.
These companies are also collaborating through the Open USD consortium, which includes Visa. The acquisitions allow the firms to secure proprietary infrastructure for on-chain settlement and payment orchestration as regulatory frameworks like the US GENIUS Act evolve.
