--- description: Mastercard is a global card payment network used by merchants to accept card transactions, manage authorization outcomes, and support disputes and... title: Mastercard payments for merchants | Network acceptance image: https://cdn.smartretry.com/_next/static/media/og-image.0z0q4_5kazzzo.jpeg --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) # Mastercard ## Methods * Cards Mastercard is a global card payment network that enables merchants to accept Mastercard-branded card payments through their PSP and acquirer Struggling with your approval ratio for this payment provider? [contact SmartRetry team →](/contact) Published January 21, 2026 Last updated May 5, 2026 ![Reading time](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%2Fclock.337f-cmnyb532.svg)2 min ![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=640&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg) ![Mastercard payment phone](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=750&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2F_next%2Fstatic%2Fmedia%2Fphone.3jczmn1xd9-9j.webp) Proceed payment with ![Mastercard](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=48&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fmastercard.svg)Mastercard ## 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 Mastercard [![Official Website](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%2Fglobe-website.1l5fn-a17cqln.svg)](https://mastercard.com/ "Official Website")[![LinkedIn Page](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-about.2wasedelio7i5.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mastercard "LinkedIn Page") Product Type Payment Method Foundation 1966 Stock ID NYSE:MA Company Type public Employees 24,000+ Location ![USA](https://flagcdn.com/w20/us.webp)USA Channel OnlineIn person For developers [Status page](https://downdetector.com/status/mastercard/)[Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/mastercard) ## Features ### Global acceptance Widely supported for ecommerce and in-store payments via most major acquirers and PSPs. ### Authorization outcomes Provides standardized authorization messaging that merchants see as approvals, soft declines, or hard declines via their PSP/acquirer. ### Approval rate and decline monitoring Merchants can track authorization success and card declines by reason codes and issuer response patterns through their PSP reporting. ### Security and fraud controls Supports network security programs and data protection standards used across the payments ecosystem. ### Customer authentication support Works with EMV 3-D Secure programs through issuers and PSPs to help manage SCA requirements and reduce friction where applicable. ### Disputes and chargebacks Uses network dispute rules, timeframes, and reason codes that structure chargeback representment and pre-dispute processes. ### Reliability and routing consistency Operates a large-scale network used for high-volume payment processing, with performance depending on the end-to-end PSP and acquirer setup. 💡Tip from SmartRetry For better Mastercard approval rates, segment declines by response/reason code and issuer, then test retrial rules (timing, soft-decline retries) and adjust AVS/CVC settings with your acquirer. ## Currencies Processing currenciesUSD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CNY, INR, BRL, MXN, SGD, HKD, NZD, CHF ## Available in Available countries * 🌍Global ### FAQ Is Mastercard a payment processor or a payment network? Mastercard is a card payment network. You still need a PSP/gateway and an acquiring bank (or a PSP with acquiring) to process Mastercard transactions. How do merchants accept Mastercard? Merchants typically enable Mastercard acceptance through their PSP and acquirer, then add Mastercard as a supported card brand in checkout and POS settings. Why are Mastercard transactions declined? Declines usually come from the card issuer (e.g., insufficient funds, suspected fraud, expired card, incorrect CVC/AVS, or velocity limits). Your PSP reports the issuer response and any network decline details available. How can I improve Mastercard approval rates? Review declines by issuer and reason, confirm clean customer data (billing address, CVC), tune fraud rules to avoid over-blocking, and use 3DS for markets or segments where authentication is expected. Does Mastercard support 3D Secure for authentication? Yes. Mastercard supports EMV 3-D Secure via issuer and PSP implementations, commonly used to meet SCA needs and manage fraud risk on ecommerce transactions. How do Mastercard chargebacks work for merchants? Chargebacks follow network rules and reason codes, with defined timelines for responding. Your PSP/acquirer manages submissions, evidence formatting, and representment steps. Is Mastercard available worldwide? Yes, Mastercard is a global network. Actual acceptance depends on your acquirer, PSP coverage, and any business or regional restrictions they apply. ## Statuses * All * ECI Codes * Issuer Response Codes * 3DS Transaction Status Reason * 3DS Transaction Status * CAVV Result Codes __Statuses \- All__ | Code | Description | | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ECI Codes | | | 00 | Authentication failed or not attempted (e.g. card not enrolled, technical issue) | | 01 | Authentication was attempted but not completed (e.g. timeout, user abandon) | | 02 | Authentication successful (liability shift applies) | | 04 | Data share only, not authenticated, improves approval rate (EMV 3DS only) | | 06 | Acquirer exemption applied (EMV 3DS only) | | 07 | Recurring payment: liability shift for initial, but not subsequent transactions | | Issuer Response Codes | | | 10 | Partial Approval | | 12 | Invalid transaction | | 13 | Invalid amount | | 14 | Invalid card number | | 15 | Invalid issuer | | 30 | Format error | | 41 | Lost card | | 43 | Stolen card | | 51 | Insufficient funds/over credit limit | | 54 | Expired card | | 55 | Invalid PIN | | 57 | Transaction not permitted to issuer/cardholder | | 58 | Transaction not permitted to acquirer/terminal | | 61 | Exceeds withdrawal amount limit | | 62 | Restricted card | | 63 | Security violation | | 65 | Exceeds withdrawal count limit | | 70 | Contact Card Issuer | | 71 | PIN Not Changed | | 75 | Allowable number of PIN tries exceeded | | 76 | Invalid/nonexistent —To Account— specified | | 77 | Invalid/nonexistent —From Account— specified | | 78 | Invalid/nonexistent account specified (general) | | 79 | Life cycle (Mastercard use only) | | 80 | System not available | | 81 | Domestic Debit Transaction Not Allowed (Regional use only) | | 82 | Policy (Mastercard use only) | | 83 | Fraud/Security (Mastercard use only) | | 84 | Invalid Authorization Life Cycle | | 85 | Not declined | | 86 | PIN Validation not possible | | 87 | Purchase Amount Only, No Cash Back Allowed | | 88 | Cryptographic failure | | 89 | Unacceptable PIN—Transaction Declined—Retry | | 90 | Cutoff is in progress | | 91 | Authorization System or issuer system inoperative | | 92 | Unable to route transaction | | 94 | Duplication transaction detected | | 96 | System error | | 00 | Approved or completed successfully | | 01 | Refer to card issuer | | 03 | Invalid merchant | | 04 | Capture card | | 05 | Do not honor | | 08 | Honor with ID | | 1Z | Authorization System or issuer system inoperative | | 3DS Transaction Status Reason | | | 10 | Stolen card | | 11 | Suspected fraud | | 12 | Transaction not permitted to cardholder | | 13 | Cardholder not enrolled in service | | 14 | Transaction timed out at the ACS | | 15 | Low confidence | | 16 | Medium confidence | | 17 | High confidence | | 18 | Very high confidence | | 19 | Exceeds ACS maximum challenges | | 20 | Non-payment transaction not supported | | 21 | 3RI transaction not supported | | 22 | ACS technical issue | | 23 | Decoupled authentication required by ACS but not requested by 3DS requestor | | 24 | 3DS requestor decoupled max expiry time exceeded | | 25 | Decoupled Authentication was provided insufficient time to authenticate cardholder. ACS will not make attempt | | 26 | Authentication attempted but not performed by the cardholder | | 27 | Preferred authentication method not supported | | 01 | Card authentication failed | | 02 | Unknown device | | 03 | Unsupported device | | 04 | Exceeds authentication frequency limit | | 05 | Expired card | | 06 | Invalid card number | | 07 | Invalid transaction | | 08 | No card record | | 09 | Security failure | | 80 | Returned on all Data Only authentications | | 81 | Challenge exemption accepted | | 82 | Challenge Mandate requested but could not be performed | | 83 | System Error response from ACS | | 84 | Internal error while generating CAVV | | 3DS Transaction Status | | | Y | Authentication / Account Verification Successful | | N | Not Authenticated / Account Not Verified; Transaction denied | | U | Authentication / Account Verification Could Not Be Performed (technical or other problem) | | A | Attempts Processing Performed; not authenticated/verified, but proof of attempted authentication is provided | | C | Challenge Required; additional authentication required (CReq/CRes flow) | | D | Decoupled authentication confirmed | | R | Authentication / Account Verification Rejected; issuer requests authorization not be attempted | | I | Informational only; 3DS Requestor challenge preference acknowledged | | CAVV Result Codes | | | 0 | Authentication failed. No liability shift; merchant is not protected. | | 1 | Authentication attempted. Liability shift applies. | | 2 | Authentication successful. Liability shift applies; merchant protected from all chargebacks. | ## Payment providers you might find interesting: [View all](/payment-providers) [![UnionPay](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Funionpay.svg) UnionPay UnionPay is a global card payment network used by issuers, acquirers, and merchants to accept UnionPay-branded card payments.](/payment-providers/unionpay)[![Authorize.Net](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fauthorize-net.svg) Authorize.Net Authorize.Net is a payment gateway that helps merchants accept card and bank-account payments through supported merchant accounts and e‑/m‑/](/payment-providers/authorize-net)[![Klarna](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fklarna.svg) Klarna Klarna is a payment provider that lets merchants offer buy now, pay later and flexible payment options at checkout.](/payment-providers/klarna)[![Paysafe Group](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fpayment-providers%2Flogos%2Fpaysafe.svg) Paysafe Group Paysafe Group is a payments provider supporting merchants with payment processing and related tools for accepting and managing transactions.](/payment-providers/paysafe-group) ## Articles you may find interesting: [View all](/blog) [![Solving CVV Mismatch Declines: Root Causes and Practical Remediation for Merchants](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-cvv-mismatch-payment-declines.jpg) September 15, 2026 Solving CVV Mismatch Declines: Root Causes and Practical Remediation for Merchants Discover why CVV mismatch errors trigger costly false declines across gateways. Learn how to refine risk thresholds, implement dynamic validation, and leverage network tokens to recover revenue without sacrificing security.](/blog/cvv-errors-causes-merchant-solutions)[![Evaluating Payment Recovery Software to Prevent Involuntary Churn](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Fsubscription-payment-recovery-software-evaluation.jpg) September 15, 2026 Evaluating Payment Recovery Software to Prevent Involuntary Churn Explore how modern payment recovery platforms use intelligent retries, automated account updaters, and targeted dunning to curb involuntary churn and recover recurring subscription revenue.](/blog/failed-payment-recovery-software)[![Optimizing Payment Performance: From Intelligent Routing to Soft Decline Recovery](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Fpayment-performance-optimization-strategies-1.jpg) September 15, 2026 Optimizing Payment Performance: From Intelligent Routing to Soft Decline Recovery Maximizing payment approvals requires moving beyond passive processing. Discover how dynamic routing, network tokens, and smart decline recovery protect revenue and reduce involuntary customer churn across enterprise payment stacks.](/blog/payment-optimization)[![Payment Dispute Resolution and Revenue Recovery Strategies for 2026](https://cdn.smartretry.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840&quality=75&format=auto&fit=cover/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.smartretry.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Fpayment-dispute-resolution-revenue-recovery-strategy.jpg) September 7, 2026 Payment Dispute Resolution and Revenue Recovery Strategies for 2026 Discover how modern payment teams balance fraud prevention with user experience, using network interception tools and intelligent recovery logic to protect baseline revenue and cut false declines.](/blog/payment-dispute-resolution-revenue-recovery) --- ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/payment-providers/mastercard","name":"Mastercard","url":"https://www.smartretry.com/payment-providers/mastercard","inLanguage":"en","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.smartretry.com/#website","name":"SmartRetry","url":"https://www.smartretry.com","description":"Payment recovery guides, tools and reference data from SmartRetry - 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