The four applications focus specifically on payments and transacting. Steven Charles Davis is listed as the sole inventor on three of the four applications, while the last also names Ashish Raghavendra Tetali as an inventor, according to CoinDesk.
Therefore, the proposed patents suggest that the credit card company ponders how blockchain-based digital currencies could be integrated into its own systems. The applications focus on methods and systems for authorizing, processing and securing blockchain-based transactions, with MasterCard arguing that a combination of blockchain and its existing payment technology could be a boon for those making digital payments.
Publication of the applications comes weeks after the credit card company released a set of experimental blockchain APIs. In 2015, MasterCard gained exposure to the industry by taking part in the funding round for investment company Digital Currency Group.
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