Card networks · Payment methods
Mastercard for online stores: acceptance, Identity Check and chargeback limits
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Mastercard is a global card network that Stripe accounts in every supported country can accept from cardholders worldwide, in the card form and through Apple Pay and Google Pay. Its online security check is branded Mastercard Identity Check. Mastercard counts chargebacks against last month's payments, and its Excessive Chargeback Program starts at 100 chargebacks and a 1.5% rate, with fines from the second month. Its fraud program also looks at how many of your payments use 3D Secure.
- Stripe seller countries
- All countries Stripe supports
- Cardholders
- Global
- 3D Secure brand
- Mastercard Identity Check
- Chargeback program
- ECM: 100–299 chargebacks and 1.5–2.99%; HECM: 300+ and 3%
- Fraud program
- EFM: 1,000+ ecommerce payments, over $50,000 fraud chargebacks, over 0.50% rate, low 3DS use
- Exit
- Below the threshold for 3 months in a row
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC checkout accepts Mastercard in the card form, inside Apple Pay and Google Pay, and for subscriptions; owners can refuse Mastercard or its credit, debit or prepaid cards, and turn on 3D Secure for risky payments.
How Mastercard measures chargebacks
Mastercard divides this month's chargebacks by last month's captured payments. It counts a chargeback whatever its outcome, even if the payment was refunded or covered by liability shift.
In the Excessive Chargeback Merchant level, Stripe lists fines of $1,000 in months 2–3, $5,000 in months 4–6, rising to $100,000 from month 19. The high level (300+ chargebacks and 3%) starts at $1,000 in month 2 and goes to $200,000.
Why 3D Secure use matters
The Excessive Fraud Merchant program only catches sellers whose 3D Secure share is low: 10% or less of Mastercard payments in non-regulated countries, 50% or less in regulated ones. Its fraud limits are lower in Australia: $15,000 and 0.20%.
Frequently asked questions
- Do refunds lower my Mastercard chargeback rate?
- Only if you refund before a dispute is filed. Stripe says Mastercard counts a chargeback even when the payment was refunded, and regardless of the result.
- Does Mastercard use inquiries before chargebacks?
- Stripe says Mastercard and Visa no longer use the inquiry phase; American Express and Discover use it most often.
Sources
- Dispute and fraud card monitoring programs — Stripe
- 3D Secure authentication — Stripe
- Cards: supported card brands — Stripe
Related
- Visa — The most widely accepted card network; works for Stripe sellers in every country.
- American Express — Card network that issues most of its own cards; not available to Stripe sellers in four countries.
- eftpos — Australia's local debit network; online only on cards co-branded with Visa or Mastercard.
- Discover — US-born network in Discover Global Network; Stripe sellers in the US, Canada, Japan, UK and most of Europe.
- Diners Club — Charge and credit card brand in Discover Global Network; same Stripe seller countries as Discover.
- JCB — Japan's card network; Stripe sellers in Asia-Pacific, North America, the UK and Europe can take it.
- UnionPay — China's card network; Stripe sellers in Asia-Pacific, North America, the UK and Europe can take it.
- Cartes Bancaires — France's local debit network; most cards are co-badged with Visa or Mastercard.