Circle Partners with Mastercard and Finastra to Supercharge Global Stablecoin Payments
Circle, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC), announced two major partnerships with Mastercard and Finastra on Aug. 27, 2025.
The goal of the partnership is to integrate its stablecoins USDC and EURC into global payment systems. It intends to improve cross-border transaction efficiency for merchants and banks, leveraging blockchain technology at a time of growing regulatory clarity for stablecoins.
Mastercard and Circle Bring USDC to EEMEA’s Booming Markets
Circle has partnered with Mastercard to allow USDC and Euro Coin (EURC) settlements for acquirers and merchants in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region.
Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services are the first adopters, marking Mastercard’s initial stablecoin settlement capability in EEMEA.
The partnership uses Mastercard’s Multi-Token Network (MTN) and Crypto Secure platform to ensure compliance with regulations, including the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework and the US’ GENIUS Act.
By leveraging blockchain, the initiative allows faster and cheaper cross-border settlements, potentially reducing remittance fees by up to 70% compared to traditional systems, based on World Bank estimates.
The acquirers and merchants are being targeted, with the consumers to benefit indirectly through faster, cheaper fiat-based transactions.
EEMEA’s diverse economies are set for stablecoin adoption, as USDC’s 1:1 dollar peg offers a hedge against volatile local currencies.
Mastercard’s Q2 2025 financials are a testament to the profit return of this digital currency, with the company reporting $2.8 billion in Value-Added Services revenue, a 16.1% year-over-year increase.
This partnership positions USDC to add more efficiency to cross-border trade, especially for merchants in emerging countries.
Finastra and Circle Speed Up $5 Trillion in Global Bank Transfers
Simultaneously, Circle reached an agreement with Finastra, a London-based financial software provider, to integrate USDC into the Global PAYplus platform, which processes over $5 trillion in daily cross-border transactions between banks in 50 countries, according to Circle’s press release and BIS data.
The integration allows banks to settle transactions in USDC while maintaining fiat-denominated instructions, reducing reliance on costly correspondent banking networks. Pilot tests in EUR–USD and GBP–USD corridors showed settlement times decreasing from T+1/T+2 to hours or minutes, lowering delays and expense.
Finastra serves 45 of the top 50 global banks, and its CEO, Chris Walters, noted that the partnership allows innovation without requiring new infrastructure.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire also commented on the partnership, stating that Finastra’s global reach is critical for scaling USDC adoption. This integration positions USDC as a solution for banks to offer customers faster, cheaper cross-border transfers and solidifies its role in institutional finance.
Circle Leverages Stablecoin Laws to Power Global Expansion
Circle’s partnerships come as the U.S. GENIUS Act, signed into law in July 2025, which established the first federal framework for stablecoins, provides regulatory clarity that has accelerated Circle’s global push.
On July 31, 2025, Circle partnered with OKX to offer zero-fee USDC-to-USD conversions in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
In August, Circle also held discussions with South Korea’s leading banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, and Woori—to discuss on-chain integrations and a potential won-backed stablecoin.
Additionally, a joint venture with Japan’s SBI Group, Ripple, and Startale aims to promote USDC and develop a tokenized asset platform.
USDC’s market capitalization stands at $69.2 billion on Aug. 28, 2025, a testament to the increase in demand.
Largest stablecoins by market cap (Source: CoinMarketCap)
Recent data also shows that stablecoin transaction volumes have surpassed those of Visa and PayPal combined, in favor of USDC’s potential to disrupt legacy payment systems.
