Three established players made distinct but connected moves this week that show the crypto adoption is on fire, the industry is simultaneously tightening compliance and expanding everyday functionality.
Bitcoin Depot rolls out full per-transaction ID verification
On Tuesday, Bitcoin Depot announced it is phasing in mandatory identification for every transaction at its network of crypto ATMs across the United States.
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The policy goes beyond the company’s earlier “first-transaction ID” requirement and now applies to returning customers as well.
CEO Scott Buchanan said the change is designed to detect suspicious activity based on customer patterns, location, or transaction size in real time, while strengthening protection against account sharing, identity theft, and takeovers.
Bitcoin Depot operates the largest crypto ATM network in North America with over 9,000 kiosks and says it is the first major operator to implement continuous verification at this scale.
Mastercard hires for crypto adoption and expands Middle East blockchain alliances
Mastercard posted a new role for Director of Crypto Flows, tasked with scaling stablecoin-linked card issuance, DeFi payment integration, and updating network rules for Web3 transactions.
At the same time, the company continues executing on earlier strategic partnerships announced in December 2025 with ADI Foundation (Abu Dhabi), NEO PAY (UAE), and INFINIOS (Bahrain). The alliances focus on stablecoin settlements, tokenized real-world assets, and faster cross-border payments in the region.
The hiring and regional push come as stablecoin volumes already surpassed traditional card networks in 2024, and as analysts warn that agentic commerce could route around legacy interchange fees by 2028.
Phantom Wallet adds perpetual futures on South Korean stocks
Phantom expanded its in-wallet perpetual futures offering to include equity contracts tracking major South Korean stocks.
Users can now go long or short with up to 40× leverage directly inside the wallet on mobile or web via Phantom Terminal, with real-time collateral management, drag-and-drop stop-loss/take-profit, and funding using any Solana token.
The feature builds on Phantom’s existing 200+ perpetual markets and gives users 24/7 access to leveraged exposure without leaving the wallet environment.
What the three moves signal together? Crypto adoption at its finest
One company is raising the compliance bar at the on-ramp (Bitcoin Depot). Another is hiring and partnering to integrate crypto deeper into traditional payment rails (Mastercard).
A leading self-custodial wallet is adding advanced trading tools that were once only available on centralized exchanges (Phantom).
This combination shows the maturing playbook: make access safer and more regulated where needed, while simultaneously giving users more powerful, seamless tools inside the products they already trust.
The message is consistent across all three announcements: the platforms are no longer just wallets or ATMs.
They are becoming full-service financial layers that balance regulatory expectations with real product innovation.
These enhancements won’t generate the same headlines as a bull run, but they quietly make crypto adoption more usable, more defensible, and more embedded in daily financial life.
Crypto market researcher and external contributor at Kriptoworld
Wheel. Steam engine. Bitcoin.
📅 Published: February 27, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: February 27, 2026
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