What is the Mastercard Crypto Credential?

Mastercard Crypto Credential is a set of standards and tools that lets verified people send and receive crypto using a simple alias, such as a username, instead of a long wallet address. It works through participating exchanges and wallets, not through a Mastercard card. The aim is to cut down on mistyped addresses and on transfers to wallets that cannot accept a given coin.

How does the Mastercard Crypto Credential work?

A user first completes identity checks with a participating provider that meet Mastercard's minimum standards. The provider then issues an alias that shows the user has been verified.

When someone sends crypto to that alias, the system checks that the alias is valid and that the receiving wallet supports the asset and the blockchain. If it does not, the sender is told and the transfer does not go ahead. That matters because a coin sent on the wrong network can be lost, as covered in what happens if you send crypto to the wrong address. For cross-border transfers, the credential also lets exchanges swap the sender and receiver details required under the crypto Travel Rule.

Where is Mastercard Crypto Credential available?

The first live peer-to-peer pilot transfers ran in May 2024 through Bit2Me, Lirium and Mercado Bitcoin, covering users in countries across Latin America and Europe, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Portugal. In January 2025 it launched in the UAE and Kazakhstan through CoinMENA, ATAIX Eurasia and Intebix.

In November 2025 Mastercard extended it to self-custody wallets with Mercuryo and Polygon Labs. On Polygon, verification is shown by a soulbound token tied to the user's address, which a business can check before accepting funds. Mastercard's product page also lists Bybit among current participants. Partner lists change, so treat them as of November 2026.

Is there a Mastercard crypto card or Crypto Secure tool?

These are different things that share the Mastercard name.

• Crypto cards. Many exchanges issue Mastercard debit cards that spend crypto balances. Those are products of the exchange and its card issuer, not part of Crypto Credential. See how do crypto cards work.
• Crypto Secure. Launched in October 2022, it gives banks that issue Mastercard cards a risk score for crypto exchanges, built with CipherTrace data, so they can decide which crypto purchases to approve.

What is the Mastercard Crypto Partner Program?

Announced on March 11, 2026, the Crypto Partner Program brings together more than 100 crypto firms, payment companies and financial institutions to work with Mastercard on future products and common standards. Listed partners include Circle, Kraken, Gemini, Binance, OKX, Ripple, Paxos, PayPal and MetaMask. It is a forum for companies rather than a service for individual users.