--- description: Mastercard ECI 04 indicates a Data Only EMV 3DS transaction. It shares device data to improve authorization rates but provides no fraud liability shift. title: Mastercard ECI Code 04: Data Share Only image: https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,height=630,quality=85,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fog-image.0z0q4_5kazzzo.jpeg --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) ![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=96,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg) Mastercard # Mastercard ECI Code 04: Data Share Only technical decline Last updated: September 25, 2026 ## Still letting failed transactions slip through? SmartRetry turns declines into approvals - automatically, intelligently, and without changing your payment provider. Email address Let’s talk Table of Contents ## About 04 \- "Data share only, not authenticated, improves approval rate (EMV 3DS only)" ## Key details Brand ![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg) Code 04 Category ECI Codes Response 04 Detailed Response Data share only, not authenticated, improves approval rate (EMV 3DS only) technical decline ## What it means Mastercard ECI 04 is an authentication-result indicator for Mastercard Identity Check Data Only (IDCI) transactions within EMV 3DS. It indicates that the merchant submitted device and transaction data to Mastercard for risk scoring without challenging the cardholder to authenticate. This data is passed to the issuer to improve authorization approval rates, though it does not result in an authenticated transaction or provide a liability shift. ## Classification & retryability technicalRetryable: no ## Why does code 04 occur? * The merchant intentionally initiated a Mastercard Identity Check Data Only flow to reduce checkout friction while passing rich transaction data. * The issuer successfully received the EMV 3DS device and transaction data without requiring a cardholder challenge. ## How to solve 04? ECI 04 is a successful data-share authentication response, not a payment decline. The returned authentication data—specifically the ECI 04 indicator, the CAVV, and the Directory Server transaction ID (and paresStatus U)—must be correctly carried into your subsequent authorization request. If the ensuing authorization is declined by the issuer, you must evaluate the separate authorization decline code to determine if a retry or different payment method is appropriate. Repeating the same ECI 04 authentication result is not a remedy for an authorization decline. ### Solving as a merchant Ensure your payment gateway captures the ECI 04, CAVV, and Directory Server transaction ID from the 3DS response and correctly passes them into the authorization message. Do not treat ECI 04 as fraud protection or a chargeback liability shift, and avoid using the Data Only flow in regions where Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) is legally mandated. ### Solving as a customer No action is required from the customer. The Data Only flow is entirely frictionless and happens in the background without prompting the cardholder to complete a challenge. 💡Tip from SmartRetry If downstream authorizations linked to ECI 04 fail, avoid re-submitting the data-only check; instead, configure your 3DS logic to escalate high-risk transactions to a full challenge flow to secure an issuer liability shift. [See the full list of Mastercard's decline codes \>](/payment-providers/mastercard#statuses)[Find code on Mastercard's website \>](https://developer.visaacceptance.com/docs/vas/en-us/payer-authentication/developer/all/rest/payer-auth/pa2-use-data-only-intro/pa2-use-data-only-mc-intro-idci.html) ### Frequently asked questions about this topic Does Mastercard ECI 04 provide a fraud liability shift? No. ECI 04 indicates an unauthenticated transaction for fraud-liability purposes. It is not a substitute for a successful 3DS authentication, and chargeback liability remains with your business. Can I use ECI 04 in markets where SCA is mandatory? No. The Data Only flow does not fulfill Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) mandates. It must not be used where SCA is required by law. Should I retry a transaction if I receive an ECI 04? ECI 04 is an authentication response, not a payment decline. You should proceed to authorization using the supplied CAVV and directory server transaction ID. Any retry decisions should be based entirely on the subsequent authorization decline code. #### Share this article [![Share on X](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Ftwitter.21z6yr9njnznr.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Mastercard%20ECI%20Code%2004%3A%20Data%20Share%20Only&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fmastercard-eci-code-04 "Share on X")[![Share on Facebook](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Ffacebook.3sbfjbsxa26qg.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fmastercard-eci-code-04 "Share on Facebook")[![Share on LinkedIn](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Flinkedin.09sdc8tnlrn4a.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartretry.com%2Fdecline-code%2Fmastercard-eci-code-04 "Share on LinkedIn") Make us your preferred source ![Kyle Regacho](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fsecure.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Faa4329c7f45a68c68f2fbccab899d0f43f3740f3f9e92d5c6ea711171fc1a35f%3Fs%3D96%26d%3Dmm%26r%3Dg) Author ##### Kyle Regacho [![LinkedIn](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Flinkedin.09sdc8tnlrn4a.svg)Find me on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdregacho/) Focused on payment recovery, decline codes, and authorization optimization at SmartRetry. Helps payment teams turn failed transactions into recovered revenue [Read all articles >](/authors/kyle-regacho) ## Join our newsletter! Real strategies to recover lost revenue - straight to your inbox Email address Subscribe ## Related codes * [![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg)01Authentication was attempted but not completed (e.g. timeout, user abandon)soft declinetechnical declineRead more >](/decline-code/mastercard-eci-code-01) * [![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg)00Authentication failed or not attempted (e.g. card not enrolled, technical issue)technical declinesoft declineRead more >](/decline-code/mastercard-eci-code-00) ## Articles you may find interesting: [View all](/blog) [![Turning Payment Declines into Revenue with Context-Aware Retry Logic](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Frecovering-revenue-with-intelligent-retries.jpg) September 25, 2026 Turning Payment Declines into Revenue with Context-Aware Retry Logic Blind retries waste fees and damage issuer trust. 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Discover how intelligent retries, network tokens, and behavioral timing protect MID health and systematically recover lost recurring revenue.](/blog/why-payments-fail-decoding-decline-codes-and-modernizing-retry-logic)[![Decoding Payment Declines: Turning Authorization Failures into Recovered Revenue](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Fresolving-card-authorization-declines-issuer-codes.jpg) September 25, 2026 Decoding Payment Declines: Turning Authorization Failures into Recovered Revenue Blindly retrying failed transactions hurts authorization rates and risks network fines. 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Discover how data-driven retries and response code intelligence help teams recover failed transactions and protect conversion.](/blog/cost-of-payment-declines-recovery) --- ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","headline":"Mastercard ECI Code 04: Data Share Only","url":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code/mastercard-eci-code-04","inLanguage":"en","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/#organization","name":"SmartRetry","url":"https://www.smartretry.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.smartretry.com/logo.png","width":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":175,"unitCode":"PX"},"height":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":29,"unitCode":"PX"}},"description":"SmartRetry is a smart payment recovery platform that helps businesses save revenue from failed payment transactions and reduce false declines.","sameAs":["https://x.com/smartretry","https://www.facebook.com/smartretry","https://www.instagram.com/smartretry","https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartretry","https://www.youtube.com/@smartretry"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","availableLanguage":["Hebrew","English"],"url":"https://www.smartretry.com/contact"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Menachem Begin","addressLocality":"Tel Aviv-Yafo","addressCountry":"IL"}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/#organization","name":"SmartRetry","url":"https://www.smartretry.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://cdn.smartretry.com/logo.png","width":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":175,"unitCode":"PX"},"height":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":29,"unitCode":"PX"}},"description":"SmartRetry is a smart payment recovery platform that helps businesses save revenue from failed payment transactions and reduce false declines.","sameAs":["https://x.com/smartretry","https://www.facebook.com/smartretry","https://www.instagram.com/smartretry","https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartretry","https://www.youtube.com/@smartretry"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","availableLanguage":["Hebrew","English"],"url":"https://www.smartretry.com/contact"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Menachem Begin","addressLocality":"Tel Aviv-Yafo","addressCountry":"IL"}},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/decline-code/mastercard-eci-code-04","name":"Mastercard ECI Code 04: Data Share Only"},"description":"Mastercard ECI 04 indicates a Data Only EMV 3DS transaction. 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