Mastercard Expands Crypto Credential to Self-Custody Wallets with Mercuryo and Polygon Labs

Quick Breakdown 

• Mastercard Crypto Credential now supports self-custody wallets, enabling alias-based crypto transfers.
• Users can obtain a Soul Bound Token on Polygon for on-chain verification and compliance.
• Collaboration with Mercuryo and Polygon Labs enhances accessibility, security, and scalability , paving the way for mainstream crypto adoption.

 

Mastercard, in collaboration with blockchain infrastructure provider Polygon Labs and payments platform Mercuryo, has expanded its Crypto Credential program to support self-custody wallets. The move enables users to send and receive crypto using simple, verified aliases instead of complex wallet addresses, thereby bringing mainstream usability and security to decentralized asset transfers.

The program integrates Polygon’s network infrastructure with Mercuryo’s onboarding and KYC processes, creating a framework that verifies wallet ownership while enabling alias-based transactions. Users can also opt for a Mastercard Crypto Credential Soul Bound Token on the Polygon blockchain, signalling compliance and wallet verification directly on-chain.

🚨JUST IN: Mastercard is using Polygon for a new feature that lets people send crypto using usernames instead of long wallet addresses.
Mercuryo handles user verification, Polygon provides the blockchain infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/gfjyyByMWB

— DeFi Planet (@PlanetDefi) November 18, 2025

Simplifying crypto transfers and enhancing security

The self-custody integration aims to make digital asset transfers as intuitive as traditional fiat transactions. Pavel Matveev, Co-founder of Wirex, noted that streamlined verification improves speed, transparency, and reduces costs for users, while maintaining security and self-custody principles. The Mastercard Crypto Credential enables verified interactions between consumers and businesses on blockchain networks, supporting faster, lower-cost, and more reliable payments.

The collaboration ensures that transfers comply with industry standards, such as Travel Rule verification, by combining blockchain programmability with Mastercard’s trusted verification framework. The program is part of Mastercard’s broader Web3 initiative to drive interoperability, scalability, and adoption of digital assets across payments, NFTs, and identity solutions.

Driving mainstream crypto adoption

Mercuryo CEO Petr Kozyakov highlighted the significance of the launch, stating it provides a streamlined path for users to maintain self-custody while participating in digital payments securely. Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron emphasized the infrastructure’s ability to scale to billions of users, demonstrating that self-custody can become a seamless part of everyday financial transactions.

The expansion of Mastercard Crypto Credential reinforces the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized assets, making digital tokens more accessible to both retail and institutional users, while ensuring robust security and compliance on-chain.

Meanwhile, Mastercard recently partnered with Thunes to expand its Mastercard Move platform, enabling near real-time payouts to stablecoin wallets for banks, payment service providers, and end-users worldwide.

 

Take control of your crypto  portfolio with MARKETS PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.”