More and more companies are embracing cryptocurrency considering its security, cost-effectiveness, and speed features. As a result, payment processors are being compelled to develop technology to handle digital currencies in their platforms. It can be said without hesitation that cryptocurrencies are in evolution.

Established payment companies are facing immense pressure on this evolution. The payment processor giant Mastercard is no exception. The company partnered with Facebook on its crypto, Libra, which was announced in June this year. Now Mastercard has felt the need to upgrade the technology that can handle the transaction of digital currencies, and in this pursuit, the company has issued a recruitment notice for crypto experts.

The motive is evident in the recruitment listing- “Do you have the courage to look into the eyes of disruptive forces without fear, and manoeuvre them to your advantage? Do you have the desire to work at the cutting-edge intersection of payments and cryptocurrencies? Do you have the ambition to build something which you can narrate to your grandchildren?” The new talents will “monitor the crypto ecosystem trends” and “develop new products and solutions”.

Why the need for crypto experts?

According to Ted Rossman, an analyst with CreditCards.com, Mastercard is doing this because it wants to be recognized as a technology company, not merely as a card company. The world is moving fast when it comes to giving people more comfort during payment using cutting edge technology. Being a leading credit card company, Mastercard cannot stay behind, and customers expect a lot from them.

Many experts are viewing the Mastercard’s plan as a smart move. Bill Hardekopf, chief executive of LowCards.com, said that Mastercard had seen a lot of activities and prospects in this area. Although it is not going to develop its own crypto, they realized it is helpful to enrich the team with people who understand the subject.

Like Mastercard, many other giant companies have partnered with Libra Association- a loose cross-industry group supporting the launch of Facebook’s own digital currency, Libra. Among the firms most notable are PayPal, Uber, Vodafone, eBay, Coinbase, Spotify, and another card company, Visa. Libra wants to develop “a globally, digitally native, reserve-backed cryptocurrency built on the foundation of blockchain technology.”

In this pursuit, Facebook is now actively hiring people for its native wallet, Calibra, but has promised to allow free competition of tokens inside of the Libra platform. The policy was made during the House and Senate hearings in July 2019.

Mastercard’s activity is already on the surface

The seriousness of Mastercard’s cryptocurrency project can be easily pictured from the positions sought in the listing which include several senior roles. According to the career website of the company, there are vacancies for an engineering lead, director for product development and innovation, vice president for product management, and director of product management for cryptocurrency and wallets.

Among other senior roles important are talents in the digital currency, for instance, vice president of network technology product management, senior analyst for strategic program management, director of payment platform and networks, and so on. The company website also made relevant job objectives clear.

For example, the director of product management for cryptocurrency and wallets will be expected to “lead the ideation, definition, design, and development of innovative cryptocurrency solutions, including wallet solutions.” The wallet director will handle the company’s patent portfolio and submitting new patent applications.

Apart from this, there are few specifications about the new roles; however, it is clear that the recruits will require to have a fair knowledge about the crypto industry. A responsible official said the organization looks for new ways to create value. According to the Senior Vice President Seth Eisen, looking at blockchain and digital currencies is part of these activities.

Mastercard’s main rival, Visa Corporation, has already a crypto initiative in place. It announced the launch of the new project worth $125 trillion in June 2019. Now we will see how the card companies start accepting crypto payments and work on smart contracts.