Mastercard Partners with Chainlink to Enable Direct Crypto Purchases

**Lido Finance** is upgrading its Wrapped Staked Ether (wstETH) to become a Cross-Chain Token (CCT) secured by **Chainlink CCIP**. As the largest liquid staking token in the industry, wstETH will now use Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol as its official cross-chain infrastructure across all supported networks. Key benefits include: - Enhanced security for cross-chain transfers - Improved interoperability across DeFi protocols - Greater DAO autonomy for governance This strategic partnership establishes a unified framework for wstETH as it expands to new blockchain networks, positioning Ethereum staking for the multi-chain future. The move represents a significant step toward standardizing secure cross-chain liquid staking infrastructure.

Chainlink has outlined seven core capabilities that power stablecoins end-to-end, providing security, transparency, and interoperability across blockchain networks. **Key Infrastructure Components:** - **Price Feeds** - Real-time, tamper-resistant pricing data onchain - **Proof of Reserve** - Near real-time verification of offchain reserves backing - **Proof of Composition** - Transparency into specific backing assets and hidden risks - **Secure Mint** - Ensures new tokens only mint when reserves exceed supply **Cross-Chain Solutions:** - **CCIP Protocol** - Secure stablecoin transfers across public and private blockchains - **CCT Standard** - Self-serve CCIP integration in minutes - **Automated Compliance Engine** - Eligibility checks and rate limits This comprehensive infrastructure addresses major stablecoin challenges identified in recent reports from Imperial College London and Messari. The platform enables programmatic minting tied to verifiable reserve data and maintains consistent reserve state across participants. Chainlink's evolution from price feeds to full-stack platform positions it as critical infrastructure for tokenized assets and compliant financial applications. [Learn more about each capability](https://blog.chain.link/chainlink-price-feeds-secure-defi/)

**Chainlink Data Streams** continue gaining traction across major DeFi platforms with new integrations. The oracle network's **sub-second price feeds** are now live on: - GMX - PancakeSwap - Multiple Arbitrum-based projects **Upcoming integrations** include: - Gains Network - Ostium Labs - Vertex Protocol - MUX Protocol - APX Finance Data Streams provide **real-time price updates** with sub-second latency, enabling more responsive trading and DeFi applications. This expansion demonstrates growing adoption of Chainlink's infrastructure across the ecosystem. [Explore Data Streams](https://data.chain.link/streams)

**Chainlink's core infrastructure is now live on Monad mainnet from day one**, bringing CCIP, Data Streams, and Price Feeds to the new blockchain. **Key developments:** - 15+ DeFi protocols in the Monad ecosystem are already integrating Chainlink services at launch - Enables secure, cross-chain applications with reliable, low-latency data - Builds on previous testnet deployment from February 2025 This integration provides Monad developers with **established oracle infrastructure** for building advanced dApps with cross-chain capabilities and real-time data feeds.

**Chainlink expanded its reach this week with 14 new integrations** spanning 5 services and 11 different blockchain networks. The integrations covered major chains including: - **Aptos, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Base** - **Bitcoin, Bittensor EVM, ChaosChain** - **HyperEVM, Injective EVM, Solana, Tron** **Notable new partners include:** - @alloc8_xyz and @bittensor - @Ch40sChain and @Ducatstable - @HastraFi and @HelixMarkets - @injective and @PanoraExchange - @spicenet and @usduc_official This week's activity shows **consistent adoption** compared to previous weeks, maintaining steady growth across diverse blockchain ecosystems. [Explore the complete Chainlink ecosystem](https://www.chainlinkecosystem.com/)