MetaMask to Launch Mastercard Crypto Card in Europe

The non-custodial crypto wallet MetaMask is set to launch a Mastercard debit card in partnership with Baanx, as reported by CoinDesk.

Initially, the product will be available in a pilot phase to “several thousand” users from EU countries and the UK.

A full rollout is planned for the end of the year, with subsequent expansion to other regions.

The card allows users to spend digital assets directly from their crypto wallet without additional fiat conversion steps. Users can pay for goods and services in USDC, USDT, and wETH on MetaMask developer ConsenSys’s Ethereum Layer 2 network, Linea.

“We saw a significant opportunity to make purchases for non-custodial wallet users simpler, safer, and more interoperable,” commented a Mastercard representative.

The company collaborates with Baanx as part of its Web3 payments initiative, providing solutions to crypto platforms. Recent partners include the DeFi project 1inch Network, Tezos, and the hardware wallet Ledger.

“Anyone with a mobile phone should be able to access a basic set of financial services by default. This will have huge implications for countries with underbanked populations,” emphasized Baanx’s Chief Commercial Officer Simon Jones.

Back in March 2024, news emerged about MetaMask testing the card with partners.