Mastercard has announced that it is acquiring cryptocurrency intelligence firm CipherTrace for an undisclosed amount with the purpose of expanding its capabilities in the field of digital assets. As cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) become increasingly intertwined with how people pay for resources, receive payments, and also invest, trust and security will be essential for further adoption and scale. These new technologies will also require robust and also intelligent solutions to prevent fraud. Through the acquisition of CipherTrace, Mastercard will create a new integrated offering that uses CipherTrace's suite of digital assets as its cybersecurity solutions to provide companies with greater transparency while helping them manage their compliance and regulatory obligations. compliance in digital assets. Mastercard's President of Cybersecurity and Intelligence, Ajay Bhalla, explained in a press release how the company's new integrated offering will help ensure that digital assets are trusted and secure, stating: “Digital assets have the potential to reinvent commerce, from routine acts like paying and collecting to converting economies, making them more inclusive and efficient. With the rapid development of the digital asset ecosystem, it is necessary to ensure that it is reliable and secure. Our goal is to leverage the complementary capabilities of Mastercard and CipherTrace to achieve this. "