Wirex Becomes World's First Crypto-Native Platform to Secure Mastercard Principal Membership

LONDON, July 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading payments platform Wirex today announced their partnership with Mastercard, as they become the first cryptocurrency-native platform to secure Mastercard principal membership. The news further solidifies Wirex's vision to bring cryptocurrency to the mainstream with the support of Mastercard, the renowned global payment technology company, by giving Wirex additional functionality and control.

Principal membership will enable Wirex to issue payment cards directly, offering even more convenience, reduced costs and faster transactions on a platform that is striving to make all currencies equal. The partnership gives Wirex the opportunity to continue improving its cutting-edge services, offering customers the ability to instantly buy, hold, exchange and spend multiple traditional and cryptocurrencies at the best in-market rates, within one platform.

Wirex is one of the few crypto-friendly companies that is a UK regulated e-money institution. Already serving 3 million customers across 130 countries, the company was the first in the world to offer a contactless Wirex debit card, bringing cryptocurrency into everyday life by instantly converting it into traditional currency, with the ability to spend in-store at over 54 million locations around the world where Mastercard is accepted. Wirex also introduced the world's first cryptocurrency rewards program, Cryptoback™, automatically giving customers up to 1.5% back in Bitcoin for every purchase made in-store.

Pavel Matveev, CEO and co-founder of Wirex, discusses how pivotal this move is for Wirex. "Wirex is proud to have become a principal member of Mastercard. It has always been our vision to empower everyone to enjoy the advantages of a world where all currencies are equal, and this membership is a step in the right direction." Matveev believes this is just the start of a series of exciting announcements for Wirex, "we've been working hard to develop a cheaper, faster and safer platform, and we're excited to announce some revolutionary advancements over the next few months that will change the fintech and crypto spaces forever."

Edoardo Volta, Head of Fintech, Mastercard UK & Ireland, added, "We are excited to be starting this new relationship with Wirex, offering consumers further choice and flexibility in the way they pay. We look forward to supporting Wirex in the delivery and growth of their innovative payment solutions."

Wirex has been growing rapidly over the past 18 months, with a successful expansion into the vast APAC market, release of their native Wirex Token (WXT), and office openings in Japan, Singapore, Atlanta, Dallas, Toronto and Dublin. Today's announcement marks the start of a new phase at Wirex that will revolutionise the fintech and cryptocurrency spaces. Later this year, the company plans to launch a next-generation of Wirex card for customers in the EEA region, with game-changing features including additional currencies, free international ATM withdrawals, sky-high limits and next-to-no fees, that will ensure it has a significant advantage over its competitors. Wirex also has plans to start issuing corporate cards for Wirex Business clients in the next few months, which will ensure Wirex continues to innovate in the space and make digital currency more accessible for the mass market.

About Wirex

Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world's first contactless payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend digital and traditional currencies in real life.

Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life,  Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for digital and traditional currency transactions by integrating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains.

With over three million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple money transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ fiat and cryptocurrencies in more than 54 million locations around the world using the Wirex card.

Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licencing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex introduced the world's first bitcoin reward programme, Cryptoback™, which earns cardholders up to 1.5% back in Bitcoin for every in-store transaction they make. They also launched their own native utility token, WXT, which entitles holders to rewards and incentives such as heavily-discounted fees and higher Cryptoback™ rewards.

Wirex is based in London with offices in Singapore, Kiev, Tokyo, Toronto, Dallas and Atlanta. With over $3bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions. 

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