Mastercard and Coinbase are in advanced negotiations to acquire London-based stablecoin infrastructure company BVNK. The possible sale is potentially worth between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion.
Sources familiar with the situation say Coinbase appears to have a small lead in negotiations, although the transaction has not been finalized, and neither bidder has announced this publicly. BVNK launched in 2021 and has quickly expanded as a supplier of digital payment rails for stablecoins, which are tokens based on blockchain technology and correlated with fiat currencies like the US dollar.
Its technology enables instant cross-border payments, treasury management, and integration into international corporate operations.
Why BNVK?
The competition to acquire BVNK is taking place as the stablecoin market’s market capitalisation has surpassed $300 billion. Institutional players are fighting to set up vital infrastructure while regulations in the US and Europe become clearer.
President Trump’s signing of the GENIUS Act in July has sped up adoption by banks, fintechs, and cryptocurrency companies by providing stablecoin issuers with a regulatory framework. BVNK’s industry profile rose in December 2024 when it had a value of $750 million and got investment from Visa, Citi Ventures, and Coinbase Ventures in its Series B.
Last year, Stripe’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge, a stablecoin payments firm, underscored the growing strategic importance of smooth, blockchain-powered payment solutions in mainstream banking.
In the same field, BVNK assists companies and financial institutions aiming to cut costs and expedite settlements by avoiding traditional card processors or outdated networks like SWIFT.
Prospects for Mastercard and Coinbase
In addition to its current retail and trading services, a successful purchase would let Coinbase expand its enterprise infrastructure and solidify its position in the stablecoin ecosystem. Moreover, it may broaden Coinbase’s customer base beyond the USDC Stablecoin, which it now serves via its alliance with Circle.
Mastercard could better link regulated stablecoin payment systems by purchasing BVNK, which would help satisfy the increasing demand for faster, blockchain-based transactions and guard against emerging crypto solutions that could circumvent established card networks.
READ MORE: Litecoin Price Prediction: LTC Tests Key Resistance on ETF Optimism
