Airtm Partners With Mastercard-Owned BVNK to Expand Stablecoin Payments

Airtm has partnered with BVNK, a stablecoin infrastructure provider owned by Mastercard, to expand wallet-based digital dollar payments and financial services for users in emerging markets. The collaboration aims to connect stablecoin funding infrastructure with real-world merchant payments, allowing customers to move funds into their wallets and spend them at participating retailers.

The partnership was announced at the Stellar Meridian Conference alongside the launch of Airtm Connect, a new service designed to help digital asset companies establish wallet connections with Airtm’s global user base. BVNK is among the companies that can use the service to connect its payment infrastructure with Airtm customers.

Through the integration, Airtm users will be able to spend funds held in their wallets at participating retailers supported by BVNK while gaining additional options to fund their accounts and receive payments.

The development seeks to address a longstanding challenge in stablecoin adoption: connecting the process of acquiring digital dollars with the ability to use them for everyday transactions.

Airtm Connect Links Stablecoin Funding With Merchant Payments

The partnership brings together two complementary parts of the stablecoin payment ecosystem. BVNK provides the origination infrastructure through compliant on-ramping services, while Airtm operates as the destination platform where users can hold, receive, and spend digital dollars.

Airtm Chief Executive Rubén Galindo Steckel explained that successful stablecoin payment systems require a close connection between the origination and destination stages. He indicated that Airtm had spent the past decade developing infrastructure to serve as a destination layer for the global digital dollar economy.

The company’s objective is to establish a more complete payment experience for emerging market users, connecting the process of converting traditional money into digital assets with their eventual use in commercial transactions.

BVNK’s relationship with Mastercard could further expand the arrangement. Through the partnership, Airtm will gain access to the recently introduced Mastercard Global Money Platform, a modular financial infrastructure offering support for fiat and stablecoin accounts, payments and money transfers.

The arrangement is designed to allow Airtm to maintain its direct relationship with customers while accessing additional financial infrastructure without having to integrate multiple service providers independently.

Kimberly Mescal Julien, BVNK’s global head of partnerships, highlighted the growing importance of wallet-based distribution in financial technology. She indicated that Airtm Connect demonstrated how fintech platforms could use digital wallets as channels for accessing real-world commerce rather than operating them as isolated financial products.

Stellar Blockchain Powers the Integration

The partnership will use the Stellar blockchain to facilitate transactions between the participating platforms. The companies identified Stellar’s transaction speed and relatively low costs as important features for supporting cross-border payments and stablecoin transfers.

BVNK recently incorporated Stellar into its multi-chain stablecoin infrastructure, expanding the blockchain networks supported by its platform. The Airtm arrangement represents one of the first publicly announced applications of that integration.

By combining BVNK’s stablecoin payment infrastructure, Airtm’s wallet network, and Stellar’s blockchain capabilities, the partnership aims to connect digital dollar funding with merchant spending through a more integrated payment system.

Multi-Provider Strategy Targets Emerging Markets

BVNK will become an additional infrastructure partner for Airtm rather than replacing its existing financial service providers. The approach gives Airtm greater flexibility in managing payment routes, funding options, and regional coverage.

This strategy is particularly relevant to Airtm’s operations across multiple jurisdictions in the Global South, where stablecoins are increasingly used for payments and as a store of value.

However, these markets often have fragmented liquidity networks and differing regulatory requirements. Access to reliable payment infrastructure can also vary considerably between countries, creating challenges for businesses serving international customers.

Galindo Steckel said Airtm‘s infrastructure strategy had consistently prioritized flexibility and choice. He explained that the company was developing a distributed last-mile payment network rather than depending on a single provider or transaction channel.

The addition of BVNK is expected to strengthen that network by providing another route for connecting users with digital dollar funding and merchant payment services.

Mastercard Expands Its Stablecoin Infrastructure Reach

The collaboration also places a Mastercard-owned stablecoin infrastructure provider directly within the payment operations of an emerging market wallet network.

For Mastercard, the arrangement extends the potential reach of its money movement infrastructure into markets where access to dollar-denominated financial services remains uneven. For Airtm, it adds another payment infrastructure partner capable of supporting its international customer base.

The partnership reflects a broader shift toward integrating stablecoins into practical financial services, with wallet connectivity, cross-border transfers, and merchant payments becoming increasingly important components of digital dollar adoption.