By enabling people to easily move digital currencies on-demand, via Mastercard’s trusted network, more consumers could participate in crypto ecosystems using reputable and reliable forms of money.” –  Richard Wormald, Division President, Australasia at Mastercard.

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) recently participated in a groundbreaking initiative, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre’s (DFCRC) central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot project. This venture explored potential use cases for CBDC in Australia. During the project, Mastercard unveiled innovative technology that facilitates the interoperability of CBDCs with various blockchains, ensuring secure utilization by authorized entities.

One major achievement is the successful demonstration of a solution that tokenizes CBDCs, allowing them to be integrated (wrapped) with different blockchains. This innovation offers consumers a fresh opportunity to engage in commerce across multiple blockchains while enhancing security and ease of use.

Developed in collaboration with Cuscal and Mintable as part of the RBA and DFCRC research project, this solution is underpinned by strict controls. These controls ensure that the pilot CBDC can only be held, used, and redeemed by authorized parties who have undergone Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and risk assessment by licensed service providers.

According to Richard Wormald, Division President, Australasia at Mastercard, the technology met consumer demands for participating in commerce across various blockchains, both public and private. Moreover, it fostered collaboration between these networks, promising a substantial impact in the digital currency realm.

In a live environment demonstration, the technology enabled the purchase of a non-fungible token (NFT) on the Ethereum public blockchain using the pilot CBDC. This showcased the system’s ability to implement controls even on public blockchains, demonstrating its versatility.

This development is closely tied to the Multi Token Network introduced by Mastercard, offering efficient payment and commerce applications via blockchain technology. It promotes interoperability and common verification standards, ensuring trusted interactions on blockchain networks.

Mastercard’s strategy to expand the use of blockchain technology in various payment contexts is well underway, with Multi Token Network currently in beta and undergoing trials with select financial institutions worldwide. It has the potential to boost interoperability and facilitate easy movement of digital currencies via Mastercard’s trusted network, opening doors to greater participation in crypto ecosystems.

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