Zerohash raises $250 million at a $1.5 billion valuation: a new era of giants entering blockchain infrastructure

Mastercard is considering a strategic investment in Zerohash, a blockchain infrastructure company that recently rejected multiple acquisition offers from the payments giant. Zerohash is in talks to raise up to $250 million at a valuation of approximately $1.5 billion. According to insiders, the Chicago-based company aims to remain independent rather than be acquired by a fintech giant, in order to build the next generation of blockchain infrastructure.

Rejection of Acquisition Ambitions

In early 2026, notable capital movements emerged in the blockchain infrastructure sector. Zerohash chose to abandon negotiations with Mastercard for an acquisition and instead sought to independently raise $250 million at a $1.5 billion valuation. This fundraising coincides with a critical period of surging demand for crypto infrastructure. As more traditional financial institutions begin to offer asset tokenization, stablecoins, and on-chain settlement services at scale, the market’s need for specialized infrastructure platforms continues to grow.

However, Mastercard has not given up on collaborating with Zerohash. Although multi-billion dollar acquisition deals fell through, the payments giant is still considering participating as a strategic investor in Zerohash’s development. According to internal sources, discussions are ongoing, and it may involve Mastercard participating as one of the investors in the new funding round.

Zerohash’s Infrastructure Footprint

Founded in 2017, Zerohash currently operates in 190 countries and supports over 5 million users. Zerohash provides compliant APIs and embedded development tools that enable financial institutions to quickly and securely launch crypto-related services. Its core positioning is as an “infrastructure provider” for cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. Its technology allows clients to seamlessly integrate crypto functionalities into existing platforms without building complex blockchain systems from scratch.

In terms of regulatory footprint, Zerohash has established a global compliance network. In the US, it is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN and holds operational licenses in 51 jurisdictions. The company has also set up regulated entities in the EU, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. This strong compliance capability and technological infrastructure have attracted global payment giants like Mastercard.

The Capital Matrix Behind

Zerohash’s funding journey exemplifies the growing interest of mainstream financial institutions in blockchain technology.

In October 2025, Zerohash completed a $104 million Series D+ funding round led by Interactive Brokers, with a valuation reaching $1 billion at the time. The round attracted many well-known investors, including Morgan Stanley, SoFi, Apollo Funds, Jump Crypto, among others. Notably, most of these investors come from traditional finance rather than pure crypto venture capital. This investment profile reflects how blockchain infrastructure is gradually becoming part of the mainstream financial system.

If the new $250 million funding is successfully completed, Zerohash’s valuation will jump from $1 billion to $1.5 billion in less than a year, an increase of 50%. This valuation growth demonstrates strong market confidence in professional blockchain infrastructure service providers.

Market and Client Logic

Zerohash’s client list reads like a “who’s who” of global finance and tech. Notable clients include Interactive Brokers, Stripe, BUIDL Fund under BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and others. Their reason for choosing Zerohash is clear: they need secure, compliant, and easily integrable blockchain solutions rather than building complex crypto infrastructure from scratch.

As the tokenization asset market expands, the demand for professional infrastructure also grows. From traditional assets like bonds and stocks to emerging asset classes like stablecoins and digital collectibles, efficient and reliable infrastructure support is essential.

Competition Landscape and Industry Trends

The blockchain infrastructure sector is undergoing a shift from “tools” to “platforms.” The rise of companies like Zerohash reflects market demand for integrated, one-stop solutions rather than scattered technical components. According to Gate Research Institute data, despite stablecoins’ on-chain settlement volume reaching $35 trillion in 2025, less than 0.02% is used for actual payments. This indicates that the primary use cases for stablecoins and tokenized assets remain in financial settlement and cross-border transfers, not everyday consumer payments. The core value of infrastructure providers lies in serving these large-scale, institutional applications.

The Bitcoin payment network is expanding, with more physical merchants in places like Las Vegas accepting Bitcoin payments, which can avoid traditional credit card fees of 2.5%-3.5%.

Recent Performance of the Cryptocurrency Market

Corresponding to Zerohash’s funding news, the crypto market shows cautious sentiment. According to Gate data, as of January 27, 2026, Bitcoin is priced at $88,662, with a 24-hour increase of 0.99%, and a market cap of $1.76 trillion, accounting for 56.49% of the market. Ethereum is at $2,939.25, up 2.17% in 24 hours, with a market cap of $351.54 billion. Gate data indicates that recent market sentiment is in extreme fear, with volatility and risk appetite contracting. Nonetheless, professional investors remain optimistic about the long-term prospects of blockchain infrastructure.

Returning to the story of Mastercard and Zerohash: after rejecting the acquisition, the payments giant is still considering becoming a strategic investor in Zerohash. Meanwhile, Bitcoin payments are quietly emerging in physical stores in Las Vegas, and stablecoin settlement volume reached $35 trillion in 2025. Zerohash bridges the gap between traditional finance and the crypto world, enabling giants like Interactive Brokers, Stripe, and BlackRock to offer crypto services without building complex blockchain systems themselves. As institutional funds continue to flow into blockchain infrastructure, the bridge between cryptocurrencies and traditional finance is widening and strengthening.