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Mastercard is in late-stage talks to buy blockchain infrastructure firm Zero Hash for between $1.5 billion and $2 billion as the payments giant moves to expand its foothold in stablecoin settlement, Fortune reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. It said the deal would give Mastercard control of an entity that processed more than $2 billion in tokenized fund flows this year and raised $104 million in a funding round led by Interactive Brokers and Morgan Stanley in September. Neither Mastercard nor Zero Hash has publicly commented on the report, but the move underscores how competition in the stablecoin space is intensifying among leading traditional finance firms seeking faster, borderless settlement systems. A potential acquisition would mark Mastercard’s most significant push yet into blockchain-based payments, coming as rivals including Visa, PayPal, and Western Union accelerate their own stablecoin initiatives following new US regulation. Mastercard May Lose Ou...

Ripple has announced it will acquire prime brokerage firm Hidden Road for $1.25 billion. The purchase is the most significant for the fintech company. Hidden Road currently clears more than $3 trillion yearly across various markets. The firm also caters to more than 300 institutional clients. The acquisition will see the migration of Hidden Road’s post-trade activity across XRP Ledger (XRPL). The move highlights the Ripple blockchain’s capabilities for institutional use. Also Read: US Dollar Under Siege as Central Banks Ramp Up Gold Reserves – What’s Next? Ripple Leading The Decentralization Movement Source: Bitcoinist Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse called the purchase “ one of the largest deals ever in the crypto space. “ Despite the large figure, Garlinghouse says the price tag is not the most important part. In an X post, he highlighted how the development presents a “ lifetime opportunity for crypto to access the largest and most trusted traditional marke...

As the company continues to lean into the strategy that has served them so well, Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy has purchased another $4.6 billion in Bitcoin. Indeed, Saylor announced the acquisition on X (formerly Twitter). Therefore, the company’s holdings increased by another 51,780 BTC. The move has seen the company continue to grow its investment in the leading cryptocurrency. To this point, it has paid off extremely well. Last week, the asset had reached a $93,000 all-time high after continued landmark price marks. That trend is expected to continue well into next year. https://twitter.com/WatcherGuru/status/1858497751937437872 Also Read: Can Bitcoin Reach $100,000 in November 2024? MicroStrategy Buys Bitcoin Again: Adds Over 51,000 BTC to Holdings Find someone who stands by you the way Michael Saylor stands by Bitcoin. The founder and chairman of MicroStrategy has not been shy in his ardent defense of the asset. Moreover, he has put his actions where his words are, he...