MetaMask, a leading self-custodial wallet for Ethereum, is debuting a new blockchain-based debit card in partnership with Mastercard and Baanx.
This MetaMask Card will first be available in a pilot program featuring a few thousand digital-only cards for users in the EU and the UK. A broader rollout is expected later this year, with plans to expand into additional regions in the following quarters.
This move highlights the increasing overlap between traditional finance and blockchain technology. As institutions begin to tokenize conventional assets and financial giants explore blockchain integration, MetaMask’s initiative represents a significant step forward.
Mastercard has been working with Baanx on web3 payment solutions, while Visa has teamed up with Circle’s USDC and the Solana network to enhance cross-border transactions.
The MetaMask Card functions similarly to a traditional debit card but allows direct spending from digital assets stored in MetaMask’s wallet.
It supports transactions using USDC, USDT, and wETH on the Linea blockchain, an Ethereum layer-2 network developed by ConsenSys.
Tether is deepening its involvement in the tokenized gold space by introducing a new version of its gold-backed stablecoin—XAUt0—on The Open Network (TON).
Robinhood has officially announced the acquisition of Bitstamp, one of Europe’s longest-standing digital asset exchanges.
Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin has received the green light from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), paving the way for its use in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is once again stirring innovation in crypto, this time calling for a new kind of decentralized exchange (DEX) that prioritizes privacy for large-scale traders.