ZeroHash, the crypto-infrastructure startup long tipped as a bridge between traditional finance and on-chain payments, has secured a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) authorization in the European Union.
This is a regulatory milestone that accelerates its ability to offer stablecoin and tokenization services across the bloc just as major payments players circle the firm.
The MiCA approval, confirmed in company filings and press notices this week, gives ZeroHash the regulatory footing to operate as a crypto-asset service provider across the European Economic Area — opening commercial doors for banks, fintechs and merchants that want to use tokenized cash and programmable money under a single EU-wide rulebook. The registration notably strengthens the startup’s proposition to enterprise clients seeking compliant rails for euro-denominated and dollar-pegged stablecoins.
Amid Acquisition Talks
The timing is striking. According to the last week fortune report, Mastercard is in late-stage talks to acquire ZeroHash in a deal that could be worth up to $1.5–$2 billion. This is a move that would mark one of the card giant’s most significant pushes into crypto rails.
The potential takeover comes as part of a broader industry rush by legacy payments firms/TradeFi giants to own the plumbing that could power real-time, tokenized settlement at scale. However, Neither Mastercard nor ZeroHash has publicly confirmed a transaction.
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Why is MasterCard Keen to Acquire ZeroHash
ZeroHash — founded in 2017 and widely used by exchanges, brokerages and institutional trading desks for custody, on/off ramps and liquidity services — has been building a regulatory footprint for years. It is already registered as a Money Services Business in the U.S., holds state money-transmitter licenses, and operates regulated affiliates in multiple jurisdictions.
The company also closed a major funding round in 2025 that included participation from Interactive Brokers, Morgan Stanley and other institutional backers, helping it scale custody and clearing services for stablecoins and tokenized assets.
If Mastercard completes an acquisition, the strategic logic is straightforward: card networks have decades of experience managing global payment rails and compliance; owning ZeroHash would give them an incumbent-grade on-chain stack to offer merchants and issuers a single route to tokenized settlement, custody and liquidity.
For Mastercard, the bet — whether acquisition or strategic investment — signals confidence that stablecoins and tokenized cash will become a core part of enterprise payments choreography, not merely a retail speculative market.
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Source: https://coingape.com/block-of-fame/pulse/mastercards-2bn-stablecoin-startup-bet-zerohash-is-now-mica-licensed-acquisition-next/
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