Circle Teams Up with Mastercard and Finastra to Expand Stablecoin Payments Globally

Circle has announced partnerships with Mastercard and Finastra to push stablecoin payments deeper into mainstream finance.

The move will let merchants and banks use USD Coin (USDC) and Euro Coin (EURC) for settlements, starting with Mastercard’s launch in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Circle’s deal with Finastra will also let banks use USDC through its payment system for faster and cheaper transactions. These partnerships highlight how stablecoins are becoming part of everyday global payments.

Circle Integrates USDC into Global Payment Networks

Circle plans to expand USDC across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Mastercard said Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services will be the first to use the service, marking its first stablecoin settlement in the region.

Following this, Mastercard also revealed that it will enable companies and merchants in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) to complete payments in USDC and Euro Coin.

In addition, Finastra, a London-based software provider, announced a partnership with Circle to integrate USDC into its GlobalPAYplus, a platform that handles over $5 trillion cross-border transactions daily.

Although payments are listed in regular currencies like dollars and Euros, the integration will allow more than 50 countries to complete international payments in USDC.

Circle Expands USDC Adoption Through Global Partnerships 

After the U.S. Congress signed the GENIUS ACT into law in July, paving the way for the creation of the first Federal Framework for stablecoins, Circle has since expanded its partnerships.

This includes a partnership with OKX, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges with a strong presence in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The partnership introduced zero-fee USDC conversion into USD, boosting global stablecoin liquidity and making it more appealing to major traders in the market.

In addition to this, Circle’s executives had a meeting with South Korea’s four largest banks, KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, and Woori, to discuss the possibility of creating a stablecoin tied to the Korean Won and also explore on-chain integrations.

Moreover, in a joint venture to grow USDC use in Japan and build a platform to trade real-world assets as tokens, Circle partnered with SBI Group, Ripple, and Startale.