PANews reported on January 21 that, according to CoinDesk, global payments giant Mastercard is evaluating a strategic investment in blockchain infrastructure company Zerohash, rather than a direct acquisition, after its acquisition talks with the company fell through. Previously, it was reported that the two sides held in-depth talks regarding a potential acquisition in October 2025, with a valuation potentially reaching $1.5 billion to $2 billion, but Zerohash insisted on maintaining independent operations, causing the acquisition to fail. According to sources familiar with the matter, investment discussions are still ongoing.