MasterCard has launched a CBDC partnership program, with the first batch including Ripple, Fireblocks, and Consensys.

On August 18, BlockBeats reported that MasterCard is gathering a group of blockchain technology and payment service providers to join its new Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) partnership program. This is in order to better understand the advantages and limitations of CBDC, and to implement it in a secure, seamless, and useful manner. The first batch of partners includes Ripple, Consensys, multiple CBDC and tokenized asset solution provider Fluency, digital identity technology provider Idemia, digital identity consultant Consult Hyperion, security technology group Giesecke+Devrient, and digital asset operating platform Fireblocks. Fluency will focus on establishing interoperability between different CBDCs, Consult Hyperion will work with central banks and payment processors to determine CBDC requirements, and Ripple will partner with the Republic of Palau to launch the first officially issued national stablecoin.