Stablecoin Settlement Breaks Borders as USDC Powers Global Payments with Mastercard and Finastra

Circle’s USDC May Expand Into Global Payment Networks Through Mastercard and Finastra Partnerships August 27, 2025

Circle, the issuer of the U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC), has taken significant steps toward embedding stablecoin settlement into mainstream finance through new partnerships with Mastercard and Finastra. These agreements aim to expand the role of USDC as a settlement mechanism for international transactions, with a particular focus on financial institutions and merchants in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) region and beyond.

Mastercard announced on August 27 that acquirers and merchants in EEMEA will now be able to settle transactions in USDC and the Euro Coin (EURC). Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services are the first to adopt the service, which marks the first stablecoin settlement available through Mastercard in the region. This development allows acquiring institutions to receive settlements in stablecoins, which they can then use to settle with merchants, reducing traditional settlement friction. Arab Financial Services’ CEO highlighted the operational efficiency gains, noting that the capability “directly solves a key market need for greater liquidity and operational efficiency” [4].

Finastra, a London-based financial software provider, also announced the integration of USDC into its Global PAYplus platform. The platform processes over $5 trillion in cross-border transactions daily and will now enable banks in 50 countries to settle international payments in USDC, even when instructions remain denominated in fiat. Finastra’s CEO, Chris Walters, emphasized that the collaboration aims to provide banks with the tools to innovate in cross-border payments without the need to build standalone infrastructure. The integration leverages Finastra’s payment hub solutions to connect financial institutions to Circle’s stablecoin infrastructure [2].

Circle’s CEO, Jeremy Allaire, described Finastra as a “natural choice” to expand USDC settlement in cross-border flows due to its global reach and expertise. The collaboration is expected to enable faster international transfers by combining the scalability of Finastra’s banking network with the stability and transparency of USDC [3]. The partnership builds on a broader momentum for stablecoin adoption, driven in part by the recent passage of the GENIUS Act, a U.S. federal regulatory framework for stablecoins signed into law in July [1].

Circle has also been expanding its partnerships globally. In August, executives from Circle met with the CEOs of South Korea’s four largest banks to explore onchain integrations and the potential issuance of a won-backed stablecoin. Additionally, Circle joined forces with SBI Group, Ripple, and Startale in a joint venture to promote USDC adoption in Japan and develop a tokenized asset trading platform for real-world assets [1].

These developments come as Circle reported a 90% year-over-year increase in the circulation of USDC, reaching $61.3 billion as of June 30 and growing further to $65.2 billion by August 10. The company also launched a new Layer-1 blockchain, Arc, designed to support stablecoin finance [3]. The expansion of USDC into global payment networks represents a strategic effort to position stablecoins as a foundational tool for everyday financial activity, bridging the gap between traditional fiat commerce and blockchain-native assets.

Source: [1] Circle pushes USDC deeper into global payments with ... (https://cointelegraph.com/news/circle-usdc-payments-new-deals-mastercard-finastra) [2] Circle and Finastra Form Cross-Border Stablecoin Pact (https://www.pymnts.com/partnerships/2025/circle-and-finastra-form-cross-border-stablecoin-pact-targeting-banks/) [3] Finastra and Circle Enable $5T Cross-Border USDC ... (https://cryptonews.com/news/circle-finastra-partner-on-usdc-settlement-for-cross-border-payments/) [4] Mastercard expands partnership with Circle to transform ... (https://www.mastercard.com/news/eemea/en/newsroom/press-releases/en/2025-1/august/mastercard-expands-partnership-with-circle-to-transform-digital-settlement-for-merchants-and-acquirers-in-region/) [5] Mastercard and Circle Enable Stablecoin Settlement in ... (https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2025/mastercard-circle-enable-stablecoin-settlement-eemea-region/)