BVNK adds Stellar rail after Mastercard closes $1.8B deal

SoFi (SOFI) became the first U.S. national bank to settle its $25 billion card program in stablecoins across Mastercard's (MA) global network, using its SoFiUSD token. Merchants receive instant, zero-cost settlement without holding stablecoins or changing infrastructure. SoFi shares rose 1% to $17.14, while Mastercard was little changed at $564.03. The success of this initiative depends on securing additional merchants to adopt the stablecoin settlement.

CME Group announced plans to launch Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Uniswap (UNI) futures on October 19, subject to regulatory review. UNI and BCH prices surged, with UNI up 5% and BCH up 20% following the news. CME cited demand for regulated tools to manage cryptocurrency price exposure.

SoFi has launched debit and credit card transactions using its SoFiUSD stablecoin on Mastercard's global payments network. The program aims to process over $25 billion in annualized volume, making SoFi one of the first banks to use stablecoin settlement on Mastercard's network. SoFiUSD is available on Ethereum and Solana, with plans to expand to other blockchain networks.

SoFi (SOFI) stock rose 4.83% after launching stablecoin settlement for its $25B card program via Mastercard (MA). SoFiUSD, issued by SoFi Bank, enables instant settlements. CEO Noto noted no need for merchants to hold stablecoins. Analysts' average price target is $20.67, a 17.16% upside.

CME Group plans to launch futures contracts for Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap, according to a report. The move follows recent gains in the cryptocurrency market, with Bitcoin recently trading above $80,000. This expansion could provide investors with more options to trade digital assets on a regulated platform.

CME Group plans to launch Bitcoin Cash and Uniswap futures on October 19, 2026, citing client demand for institutional risk management tools in high-liquidity altcoins, according to the company.