Mastercard is transforming crypto payments by expanding its Crypto Credential program to self-custody wallets. Users can now send and receive cryptocurrencies using verified username-style aliases, eliminating the need to copy long, complex wallet addresses.
Polygon provides the blockchain backbone, while Mercuryo handles identity verification and issues human-readable aliases to participants.
The system is designed to reduce errors and make crypto transfers feel like traditional payments. Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive VP of blockchain and digital assets, explained that the program builds trust in digital token transfers by combining simplicity with meaningful verification.
Verified users can link aliases to their self-custody wallets or request a soulbound token on Polygon, proving wallet ownership and identity. Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon Labs, called the partnership a turning point for making self-custody accessible and user-friendly.
Mercuryo, acting as the program’s first issuer, emphasized rising demand for secure, user-focused crypto experiences that preserve wallet sovereignty. The system is tailored to make both institutional and retail transfers safer while keeping private keys under user control.
Mastercard has accelerated its crypto strategy over the past two years. The company rolled out debit cards with Kraken across Europe, partnered with MetaMask for a self-custody payments card, and teamed with Chainlink to let its three billion cardholders buy crypto directly on-chain.
The rollout also leverages Web3 partners including Shift4 Payments, Swapper Finance, XSwap, and ZeroHash. ZeroHash supplies on-chain liquidity, allowing users to convert fiat into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets seamlessly.
Swapper Finance’s integration is fully non-custodial and uses account abstraction to make crypto interactions familiar for everyday users.
This expansion demonstrates Mastercard’s commitment to bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology, tackling the UX challenges that have slowed mainstream crypto adoption while providing secure, intuitive solutions for self-custody wallets.
