Mastercard was a casualty of the AI scare trade. This deal could turn it around
By Liz Napolitano
Published on March 22, 2026.
Mastercard is set to acquire stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK for $1.8 billion, a move that could transform the company into a beneficiary of emerging tech trends like artificial intelligence and stablecoin disruption. The acquisition will enable Mastercard to process stablecoin-denominated transactions and could help the company fend off disruption risks and potentially enhance its stock's upside potential. The deal is expected to close later this year and likely will make Mastercard more equipped to face AI disruption threats. It comes as dollar-pegged tokens have risen to a combined value of roughly $307 billion, up about 35% over the past year.
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