Blockchain payments provider BitPay has launched a Mastercard prepaid card for crypto users in the United States. The BitPay Card enables customers to convert their cryptocurrency into fiat, which can then be loaded onto the card and spent anywhere Mastercard debit is accepted. Card holders can also withdraw U.S. dollars from ATMs and make online purchases. BitPay CEO Stephen Pair told Cointelegraph that the BitPay Card is specifically targeted at crypto holders, serving as a tool to provide a convenient way to access spending power: “The real goal of the BitPay Card is to provide users with a convenient way …

According to a BBC report on May 8, a group of international campaigners and campaign groups has written to ten major credit card companies calling for the immediate suspension of payments to pornographic websites. If successful, this campaign may result in a new wave of people flocking to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the search for alternative payment methods. All porn bad? Not according to PornHub The letter, whose signatories represent campaigners from every continent except Antarctica, alleges that porn sites "eroticize sexual violence, incest, and racism" and that it is impossible to "judge or verify consent in any videos …

Data privacy issues have been escalating in 2020 as personal data is increasingly being used to fight COVID-19. The Linux Foundation, a non-profit technology consortium, has today announced a new data privacy project featuring dozens of cross-industry giants like Mastercard and IBM. Called the ToIP Foundation, the new data trust coalition aims to provide a trusted exchange of data over the internet and establish a global standard to ensure digital trust. Blockchain consortium R3 outlines Corda’s potential for private transactions According to a May 5 announcement, the ToIP Foundation’s participants include a wide list of companies, governments and nonprofits across …

VeChain and Mastercard are among the heavy hitters backing the new APAC Provenance Council, which has already secured millions in funding for supply chain tracking and financing pilots throughout the Asia Pacific region. The consortium will provide comprehensive solutions for authenticating and tracking food, wine and produce using blockchain, with a particular focus on the $76 billion of exports from Australia to China. Payments will be courtesy of Mastercard outside of China, and Alipay Australia for goods headed to China. Products can be tracked using VeChain as the public blockchain or Mastercard Provenance as the permissioned ledger. Supply chain tracking …

Bitmain-affiliated financial service platform Matrixport has teamed up with Simplex, an EU-licensed payments processing firm, to allow users to purchase select cryptocurrencies using their credit and debit cards. Matrixport users can buy seven cryptocurrencies with most popular fiat currencies As part of the partnership with Simplex, Matrixport users from across the globe are now able to buy seven cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), DASH and Tether (USDT) via Visa or Mastercard using the platform’s website or mobile app, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph. There are more than 20 supported …

Mass adoption. It’s a mantra touted often in this space and what every crypto company is working toward. While tremendous progress has been made in the past 10 years on driving crypto awareness and improving user experience, we still aren’t there yet in terms of mass utilization. In order for real adoption to occur, the crypto ecosystem needs to seamlessly interact with the existing financial system. Think back to the very first time you bought Bitcoin (BTC). It’s scary. You take your “real” money and put it into the computer to get back magic internet money. You need to move …

A cryptocurrency swap platform has the champagne on ice as it celebrates its fifth anniversary — and is reflecting on some of its biggest achievements since launching back in April 2015. Changelly is planning to mark the milestone with a campaign to celebrate how far it has come over the past five years, hosting special promotions with its partners, including Blockchain Cuties, Enjin, NEXO, Bitdegree and Trezor. Customers past and present are being encouraged to get involved. The company began life as a small startup consisting of five people and initially supported 30 cryptocurrencies. Come January 2016, it already had …

China has been a hotspot for blockchain patents and development. As Cointelegraph previously reported, the National Intellectual Property Administration of China has awarded 2,191 blockchain patents between 2017 to 2019. Major multinational companies have also shown immense interest in filing blockchain patents in China. The latest Global Times report suggests that 35 multinationals including Microsoft, Walmart, Mastercard, Sony and Intel, had applied for a total of 212 blockchain patents by the end of March 2020. Of all the foreign companies with blockchain patents in China, Mastercard tops the list with 46 such patents to its name. While there is no …

A crypto company has launched a prepaid card that enables consumers to spend their digital assets freely. Embily can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted and boasts a daily ATM withdrawal limit of $2,500 — substantially higher than conventional bank cards. The product is available worldwide, and Embily says all funds are insured. Better still, cards are fully customizable, meaning owners get the chance to really show their personalities and make a statement. Presently, the Embily team says the card can be topped up with three types of cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ether and Tether. “Strong community coins” are also going to …

Digital payment platform Uphold has announced a new debit card, allowing users to pay with converted crypto, commodities and cash. Uphold’s new multi-asset debit card allows United States-based participants to spend assets held in their Uphold accounts at any Mastercard compatible location, a representative from Uphold told Cointelegraph in an interview. “Anywhere globally where Mastercard is accepted, they will be able to use this debit card,” she said. United States-based customers can now join a waitlist to get the card, which touts compatibility for 24 crypto assets, 27 fiat currencies, and four metals including Bitcoin (BTC), Basic Attention Token (BAT), …

On Feb. 19, Coinbase announced that it has become a principal member of Visa. In an apparent first for the cryptocurrency industry, the firm is now able to issue debit cards without having to involve third parties. Prior to that, Coinbase had been releasing its physical cards in collaboration with authorized intermediaries, similarly to dozens of other crypto companies that offer such options to their clients. While Coinbase didn’t share its strategy, technically, the new status grants it the possibility to issue cards to fellow cryptocurrency firms. In any case, this development marks an important milestone for the crypto payments …

Cryptocurrency businesses worldwide are continuing to integrate fiat onramps into their operations in an effort to make it easier for customers to jump into crypto. United Kingdom-based cryptocurrency lending startup Celsius Network has launched in-app crypto purchases via a new partnership with Simplex, according to a Feb. 18 announcement. Simplex, a popular fiat-to-crypto payments provider servicing major crypto exchanges like Binance, will now unlock direct crypto purchases for Celsius app users. Celsius clients will now be able to buy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) via credit or debit cards. Similar to other Simplex-powered fiat onramps, the new feature …