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Chainlink has partnered with Mastercard to allow cardholders around the world to buy crypto directly onchain using their debit or credit cards, in what both companies describe as a push to simplify and secure access to the digital asset space.
The new system enables fiat-to-crypto conversions fully onchain, without the usual detours through centralized exchanges or wallet apps. The idea is to bring crypto closer to everyday users by removing long-standing hurdles that have made it harder for traditional consumers to access blockchain-based assets.
“People want to be able to easily connect to the digital assets ecosystem, and vice versa,” said Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president for blockchain and digital assets. “We’re unlocking a secure and innovative way to revolutionize onchain commerce.”
The effort taps a web of crypto and payment tech firms. Chainlink said the backend infrastructure includes compliance support from Zerohash, payment integration from Shift4, and trading execution via Swapper Finance and decentralized exchange XSwap. Uniswap will also supply liquidity on the backend.
The system is set to give Mastercard’s 3 billion+ cardholders access to a crypto checkout experience that’s both direct and compliant, all without leaving the chain. Swapper Finance will route orders through XSwap, Zerohash will handle KYC and custody, and Shift4 will process cards while sourcing pricing and liquidity from Uniswap and other onchain markets.
“This was a complex and multilayered collaboration,” said Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov. “But it lays the groundwork for making blockchain-based finance as familiar and intuitive as using a regular credit card.”
While Mastercard and Visa previously partnered with crypto platforms to offer cards that let users spend their crypto holdings via fiat conversions, this initiative flips the flow: users buy crypto straight from their cards, with assets landing directly in their wallets.
Chainlink and Mastercard say the system could pave the way for broader crypto access—especially for newcomers who might be unfamiliar with traditional crypto onboarding steps.
Mastercard has expanded its support for stablecoin payments through a series of new partnerships that bridge cryptocurrency and mainstream commerce.
The payments giant is collaborating with crypto exchange OKX to launch the “OKX Card,” which links crypto trading and Web3 spending directly to Mastercard’s global merchant network. At the same time, Mastercard is working with Circle, Nuvei, and Paxos to allow merchants to settle transactions directly in stablecoins such as USDC and USDP.
