Mastercard has filed for 15 NFTs and metaverse-based trademarks, signalling its intention to become a player in the digital economy.

According to a tweet, Mastercard has submitted the trademark applications to register its ‘Circles’ logo and the ‘Priceless’ slogan. It also hinted that the company may be planning to work on payment system-based services, ecommerce transactions, and payment services in metaverse.

Apart from that, a range of virtual, crypto, and financial products and services will be covered by patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

In 2020, Mastercard unveiled an augmented reality app that offered cardholders a virtual tour of three reward categories. The American financial giant then launched the Start Path Crypto scheme, a startup engagement program dedicated to exploring and solving problems for single users and businesses around the world using blockchain technology in Dec 2021.

Its major competitor payment titan Visa too announced its plan to launch a one-year creator program that supports small businesses through the use of NFTs. Visa said its main goal was to choose entrepreneurs working in the art, music, film, or fashion industry and expand their business operations by diving into the NFT market.