Real-time payments have reshaped entire economies in markets like Brazil and India, but they are not just a domestic rail for faster account-to-account transfers.
India’s UPI, for example, has expanded beyond its borders through integrations with systems in other regions and continues to add new features at a rapid pace.
The promise of real-time payments once drove Mastercard to acquire most of European fintech Nets’ payments services for $3.2 billion, seven years ago. The deal brought Nets’ real-time payment infrastructure, bill pay, and electronic invoicing segments under Mastercard’s umbrella. At the time, the payments giant sought to move beyond card payments and expand its network.
Now, however, Mastercard is reportedly consulting investment bankers on a plan to divest the unit. According to the Financial Times, the sale is targeting private equity firms and is expected to fetch significantly less than Mastercard originally paid.
Long-Term Strategy Questions
Taken on its own, this could appear as a retreat from a deal that fell short on revenue growth. But coming just days after Mastercard’s blockbuster acquisition of stablecoin payments infrastructure firm BVNK, it raises questions about the company’s long-term strategy.
The BVNK acquisition, valued at $1.8 billion, represents the largest digital assets deal to date. It comes after nearly every major player in financial services has made a splashy stablecoin investment.
Mastercard stated that the objective of the deal is to reach markets not currently served by its card network, including cross-border remittances, business payments, and payouts in the creator and gig economies.
The Shape of Payments to Come
While stablecoins are a powerful solution in these applications—especially for freelancers and contractors—real-time payments can also be highly effective.
Indeed, the Clearing House reported that its RTP Network continues to set all-time highs in payments value and volume. While large commercial settlements account for many transactions, much of the recent growth is driven by use cases like earned wage access disbursements and gig economy payouts.
Given the growing entrenchment of real-time payments, Mastercard’s pivot from Nets to BVNK is unlikely to redefine the payments landscape. Instead, both payment types are set to thrive in an increasingly crowded market.
