Mastercard has announced plans to expand its stablecoin service for domestic and cross-border transaction settlement to the UAE. The service will be provided in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation, which uses blockchain infrastructure for governmental and enterprise solutions.
According to the announcement, the collaboration is a step towards advancing blockchain-based asset tokenization and stablecoin-enabled payment innovation in the Middle East and supports the UAE’s ambition to be a hub for digital assets and blockchain technology.
MasterCard partners with ADI Foundation to launch services
In the statement, MasterCard mentioned that the first areas of collaboration between the two entities will be in the realm of stablecoin payments, both for domestic usage and cross-border transactions. This will include stablecoin-linked payment cards and tokenized real-world assets use cases, and support for remittance and B2B trade flows.
Prakriti Singh, executive vice president, core payments, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Mastercard, noted that the company is unlocking new opportunities through these collaborations. They will validate high-impact use cases that deliver efficiency in digital payments. He noted that by advancing asset tokenization and stablecoin-linked applications, Mastercard will provide faster, seamless, and more secure transactions.
Singh also highlighted that these initiatives underscore the firm’s commitment to building trusted bridges between traditional finance and blockchain ecosystems. Ajay Bhatia, Principal Council Member at the ADI Foundation, reiterates that the collaboration is important toward building a future-ready digital economy. The collaboration will combine ADI Foundation’s compliant, high-performance blockchain infrastructure with Mastercard’s global expertise.
“We intend to pioneer practical blockchain solutions that deliver meaningful societal impact across key industries and emerging markets,” he added. This announcement follows Mastercard’s recent expansion of its partnership with Circle, enabling USDC and EURC stablecoin settlement for acquirers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
NEO PAY and INFINIOS are the latest partners to join this initiative, further expanding the reach of stablecoin settlement across the region. INFINIOS, a Mastercard principal member and global fintech enablement partner, will be utilizing stablecoin for both funding and settlement, and actively aligning with financial institutions embracing the rails and broadening services to their underlying partners.
