Melissa Wisner, Vice President of Cryptocurrency Risk at Ciphertrace, a cryptocurrency intelligence company under Mastercard, stated that cryptocurrency is part of the future and emphasized the maturity of the cryptocurrency industry over the past decade. Wisner stated that the connection between the traditional financial system and the cryptocurrency ecosystem is still very close. Although some believe that cryptocurrency will replace banking institutions, the cryptocurrency industry does not seem to have detached from the traditional financial system. Many of Mastercard's banking partners are not interested in cryptocurrency because of their low risk appetite. Ciphertrace was founded by the US Department of Defense in 2015 and was acquired by Mastercard in September 2021. Wisner stated that this acquisition highlights Mastercard's belief that virtual assets and cryptocurrency are a persistent part of the financial future.