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Mastercard is expanding its Crypto Credential program to self-custody wallets, allowing users to send and receive cryptocurrencies using verified, username-style aliases instead of long wallet addresses.
Polygon will be the first blockchain to support the rollout, while payments firm Mercuryo will handle identity verification and issue the aliases to users, according to a Tuesday press release shared with Cointelegraph.
“By streamlining wallet addresses and adding meaningful verification, Mastercard Crypto Credential is building trust in digital token transfers,” said Raj Dhamodharan, executive vice president of blockchain and digital assets at Mastercard.
Once verified by Mercuryo, users can link a human-readable alias to their self-custody wallet or request a soulbound token on Polygon that proves the wallet belongs to a verified individual.
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 Mastercard chooses Polygon to launch username-based crypto transfers. Source: <a href="https://x.com/0xPolygon/status/1990721720978976958" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Polygon</a>
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Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/mastercard-s-2b-move-into-crypto" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Why Mastercard’s $2B move into crypto could end banking hours as we know them</a>
<h2 id="mastercard-aims-to-make-self-custody-crypto-transfers-safer">Mastercard aims to make self-custody crypto transfers safer</h2>
Mastercard said the move is aimed at reducing errors caused by copying long hexadecimal addresses and that the system is designed to function more like traditional payment rails.
“This partnership marks the moment when self-custody becomes simple,” said Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon Labs.
Mercuryo, the first issuer for the program, said the rollout reflects rising demand for secure but user-friendly crypto experiences that don’t require giving up wallet sovereignty.
Mastercard has been accelerating its crypto strategy throughout 2024 and 2025, <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/kraken-mastercard-crypto-card-europe-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">launching debit cards with Kraken</a> across Europe and <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/meta-mask-self-custody-crypto-card-mastercard" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">partnering with MetaMask</a> on a self-custody payments card.
Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/zerohash-eu-mica-license-mastercard-acquisition" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Zerohash lands MiCA license amid $2B Mastercard acquisition rumors</a>
<h2 id="mastercard-taps-chainlink-to-bring-cnchain-crypto-purchases">Mastercard taps Chainlink to bring cnchain crypto purchases</h2>
In June, Mastercard <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/chainlink-mastercard-partner-cardholders-buy-crypto" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">partnered with Chainlink</a> to enable its three billion cardholders to buy crypto directly onchain, marking one of the credit-card giant’s largest steps into Web3.
The rollout relies on several Web3 partners, including Shift4 Payments, Swapper Finance, XSwap and ZeroHash, with ZeroHash supplying onchain liquidity to convert fiat into crypto. Chainlink said the version available through Swapper Finance is fully non-custodial and uses account abstraction to make the process familiar for everyday users.
Magazine:<a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/2026-pragmatic-privacy-crypto-canton-zcash-ethereum-foundation/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> 2026 is the year of pragmatic privacy in crypto — Canton, Zcash and more</a>

Mastercard taps Polygon to turn clunky crypto addresses into simple usernames

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Other articles published on Nov 18, 2025

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