Mastercard payment card

Mastercard is a globally recognized financial services brand that traces its roots back to 1966 when it was established as the Interbank Card Association (ICA) by a group of California banks. It was created as a competitor to the BankAmericard program, which later became Visa. In 1979, the network was renamed Mastercard.

While the brand originated in the United States, physical cards are manufactured in multiple countries through certified secure facility partners like Gemalto (Thales), Giesecke+Devrient, and IDEMIA. Mastercard operates one of the world's fastest payment processing networks, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, and governments in more than 210 countries and territories. Today, Mastercard Incorporated is a publicly-traded multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York.