Kraken and Mastercard: The Crypto Love Affair You Didn’t See Coming

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Ah, the union of Kraken and Mastercard—a match made in financial heaven, or perhaps a cleverly orchestrated plot to make us all question the very nature of money. 🤑

What to know (or pretend to care about):

  • Kraken, the crypto exchange that sounds like a sea monster, is joining forces with Mastercard to let U.K. and European crypto enthusiasts spend their digital fortunes at over 150 million merchants worldwide. Because nothing says “I’m sophisticated” like buying a latte with Bitcoin.
  • Physical and digital debit cards will be introduced, because apparently, swiping a card is still more glamorous than scanning a QR code. Who knew?
  • This is part of Kraken Pay, a service that debuted earlier this year, allowing cross-border payments in over 300 crypto and fiat currencies. Because why settle for one currency when you can juggle 300?

Mastercard, in a rare moment of excitement, announced that Kraken will let crypto holders in the U.K. and Europe spend their digital assets at more than 150 million merchants worldwide. Because nothing screams “progress” like using Monero to buy a pair of socks.

Kraken will offer physical and digital debit cards, because apparently, we’ve reached a point where even our money needs a digital twin. It’s the latest in Kraken Pay, a service that debuted earlier this year, enabling cross-border payments in over 300 crypto and fiat currencies. Because who doesn’t love a good currency buffet?

Over 200,000 users have already activated their “Kraktag,” a unique identifier tied to their Kraken wallet, simplifying the use of Kraken Pay’s services. Because nothing says “simplicity” like a unique identifier.

David Ripley, Kraken’s co-CEO, said the initiative aims to close the gap between the crypto economy and traditional spending. “Our customers want to easily pay for real-world goods and services using their crypto or stablecoins,” Ripley said. Because nothing says “real-world” like spending Dogecoin on a pizza.

The debit cards are expected to be available in the coming weeks. So, mark your calendars, and prepare to spend your crypto like it’s Monopoly money. 🎉

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2025-04-09 13:14