Journalist
Sead Fadilpašić
Journalist
Sead Fadilpašić
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Crypto exchange Bitget’s flagship wallet, Bitget Wallet, has partnered with payments giant Mastercard and infrastructure provider Immersve to launch a new crypto-linked card.
According to the press release, the card will enable its holders to pay directly from their digital wallets at more than 150 million merchants globally, wherever Mastercard is accepted.
Initially, the team will launch the product in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area. The announcement highlights plans to expand to other regions “in the coming months,” namely Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Earlier this year, Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet, highlighted the wallet’s growth in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, where user numbers surged over 1,000% in 2024.
Moreover, the new product “aims to drive ease of use and efficiency in the crypto card space.” It’s a self-custodied, USDC-based card. It comes with instant approval and no top-up fee, the team says. The card includes a bonus for completing identity verification, optional incentives such as transaction-based rewards, and yield on idle balances.
Furthermore, Bitget notes what it describes as “continued interest in practical crypto applications.” Also, the payments ecosystem is attempting to connect blockchain-enabled solutions to the financial mainstream, it claims. The new card is meant to fit right in, they suggest. It’s a way to broaden the use of self-custodied assets into everyday commerce.
“Crypto payments should be as seamless and secure as traditional transactions,” said Jamie Elkaleh, CMO at Bitget Wallet. “We’re seeing massive demand for real-world crypto utility,” and the collaboration with Mastercard and Immersve provides the infrastructure to make it happen.
“Critical Step in Bringing Digital Assets Closer to Mainstream Utility”
Bitget Wallet claims to have over 80 million users globally. Its card is now available through the Bitget Wallet app. It supports real-time funding via onchain swaps and deposits.
The crypto card leverages Mastercard Digital First technology to enable users to apply for the card digitally. “Within minutes,” they can add it to their mobile wallets and use it at both physical and online merchants.
Moreover, Immersve is a principal member of the Mastercard network and a registered Financial Services Provider. Its issuing-as-a-service platform supports both centralized and decentralized payment experiences, the announcement says. The partnership with Immersve allows transactions to settle onchain through crypto-to-fiat conversion. At the same time, it abides by Mastercard’s regulatory requirements, including KYC and AML.
Meanwhile, the partners announced the new product at the Ethereum Community Conference today.
“Digital wallets are quickly becoming as ubiquitous as email addresses,” said Scott Abrahams, executive vice president, Global Partnerships at Mastercard. “We’re committed to working with innovative companies like Bitget Wallet and Immersve to make crypto transactions simple, secure, and accessible at scale. This is a critical step in bringing digital assets closer to mainstream utility.”
Partnering with teams like Mastercard and Bitget Wallet is “exactly how we scale real-world crypto use,” adds Immersve CEO Jerome Faury. “We’re […] allowing users to spend crypto as easily as they spend fiat—on a global scale.”
Meanwhile, in January this year, the wallet revealed its PayFi (Payment Finance) strategy. The goal is to redefine crypto’s role in personal finance by shifting it from a passive investment to an active financial tool for everyday use, the team said.
In late April, Bidget Wallet announced its integration with the universal crypto payment gateway Paydify. This allows merchants to accept stablecoin payments from Bitget Wallet users.
