Mastercard Inc. is a leading global payments and technology company that provides the critical infrastructure for electronic financial transactions. The company's primary business is to process payments between the banks of merchants and the card-issuing banks of purchasers who use Mastercard-branded debit, credit, and prepaid cards. Originally founded as the Interbank Card Association (ICA) in 1966, Mastercard does not issue cards or set interest rates but rather generates revenue from the processing fees charged to financial institutions. Its mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible.

Founded in

United States