Zerohash Wins MiCA License as $2B Mastercard Deal Looms

TLDR

• Zerohash Europe has secured a MiCA license from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets to operate across 30 European Economic Area countries.
• The company becomes one of the first infrastructure providers authorized to offer stablecoin services under EU crypto regulations.
• Mastercard is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Zerohash in a deal valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.
• Zerohash currently provides crypto infrastructure solutions to major clients including Morgan Stanley, Franklin Templeton, and Stripe.
• Mastercard announced in August it would enable merchants to settle transactions in USDC and Euro Coin across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Zerohash Europe has obtained a license under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation from Dutch regulators. The approval enables the stablecoin infrastructure provider to serve clients across 30 countries of the European Economic Area. Reports suggest Mastercard is pursuing a potential $2 billion acquisition of the company.

Zerohash Receives MiCA Authorization from Dutch Financial Regulator

The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets granted Zerohash registration as a crypto-asset service provider on Sunday. This MiCA license enables Zerohash to deliver stablecoin and digital asset services to banks and fintech firms. The company can now operate as registered infrastructure across all EEA member states.

Zerohash joins a select group of early infrastructure providers authorized under MiCA compliance standards. The regulatory framework establishes unified rules for crypto services throughout the European Union. Banking institutions and payment platforms can now access Zerohash’s tokenized asset solutions with full regulatory backing.

The company was established in 2017 and provides crypto infrastructure to major financial institutions. Morgan Stanley, Franklin Templeton, and Stripe are among Zerohash’s current client base. The MiCA approval strengthens the company’s position in European markets for blockchain-based financial products.

Fortune reported Wednesday that Mastercard entered advanced discussions to acquire Zerohash in a significant transaction. Anonymous sources indicated the deal valuation ranges between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. The potential acquisition would expand Mastercard’s presence in stablecoin and crypto infrastructure sectors.

Mastercard announced plans in August to enable USDC and Euro Coin settlement for merchants. The payment giant focused on Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for initial deployment. Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services signed on as first adopters of the service.

The company launched its first stablecoin settlement option in the EEMEA region through this initiative. Acquirers and merchants can now process transactions using Circle’s stablecoin products. This move demonstrated Mastercard’s commitment to expanding digital currency payment options.

Kazakhstan Central Bank Partners with Mastercard on Stablecoin Project

Kazakhstan’s National Bank initiated a stablecoin pilot program in September with Mastercard and Solana. The project operates within the Digital Assets Regulatory Sandbox framework established by the central bank. The collaboration focuses on developing a digital asset pegged to a local currency.

Intebix Crypto Exchange and Eurasian Bank issued the Evo stablecoin on September 23. The KZTE token maintains a peg to Kazakhstan’s tenge currency. The sandbox participant structure allows controlled testing of the stablecoin in real market conditions.

The pilot represents Mastercard’s continued exploration of stablecoin technology across different global markets. Kazakhstan’s central bank selected Solana’s blockchain infrastructure to support the experimental digital currency. The project assesses the viability of stablecoins for domestic payment systems in emerging markets.

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