Mastercard MATCH List
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) is Mastercard's global file of merchants that have been terminated for fraud, compliance violations, excessive chargebacks, or illegal activity. Acquirers must screen every new merchant against it and must list terminated merchants into it.
Definition
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) is Mastercard's global file of merchants that have been terminated for fraud, compliance violations, excessive chargebacks, or illegal activity. Acquirers must screen every new merchant against it and must list terminated merchants into it.
The purpose of MATCH
MATCH is a blocklist operated by Mastercard that lets acquirers see when a prospective merchant has been previously terminated by another acquirer for severe reasons. It exists because problem merchants routinely shop around for new processors after being terminated. Without a central file, the same fraudster could spin up an account with a fresh acquirer every few months.
The file is authoritative within Mastercard's ecosystem. Visa maintains a parallel system (VMAS), but acquirers cannot see each other's lists across card networks. Every merchant onboarding process for a Mastercard-accepting account must include a MATCH screening step.
The 14 reason codes
Mastercard defines 14 specific reason codes that can trigger a MATCH listing. The most common in payments compliance operations are:
- Code 04, Excessive chargebacks. Merchant exceeded Mastercard's chargeback threshold in multiple consecutive months.
- Code 08, BRAM violation. Merchant was terminated for hosting prohibited content as defined by BRAM.
- Code 09, Laundering. Merchant processed transactions for another entity without disclosing it (see transaction laundering).
- Code 11, Excessive fraud. Merchant exceeded Mastercard's fraud-to-sales ratio threshold.
- Code 13, Questionable Merchant Audit Program. Flagged by Mastercard's own compliance audit team.
Each reason code has specific documentation and notice requirements. Acquirers must retain the evidence that supported the listing decision for the full retention period.
What happens after a merchant is listed
A MATCH listing is typically 5 years. During that time, any Mastercard acquirer that runs a screen on the merchant's principals, tax ID, or business details will see the flag. The acquirer can still decide to onboard the merchant (MATCH is informational, not a hard block) but they must document the reason and accept the associated risk.
In practice, MATCH listing is commercially severe. Most acquirers will decline to onboard a listed merchant without a very strong compensating story. For the merchant, it usually means their ability to accept card payments is disrupted for years.
How MATCH interacts with operational monitoring
MATCH screening is a single checkpoint at onboarding. By itself it cannot catch merchants who pass the initial screen and later pivot into prohibited behavior. That is why Mastercard requires acquirers to run continuous monitoring under the MMP program. When ongoing monitoring surfaces a confirmed BRAM violation, the acquirer must remediate within 15 calendar days and, if termination is warranted, report the merchant into MATCH with the appropriate reason code.
The practical workflow is: onboarding runs a MATCH screen, then Kenal AURA takes over continuous monitoring, drift detection, and evidence capture. If a merchant crosses a termination threshold, the analyst closes the investigation with the MATCH-listing resolution code and the evidence bundle is ready to submit to Mastercard.
Frequently asked questions
- What is MATCH short for?
- Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants. It is a Mastercard file that Visa acquirers cannot access, though Visa maintains a parallel system called VMAS (Visa Merchant Screening Service).
- What are the MATCH reason codes?
- Mastercard defines 14 reason codes, including Account Data Compromise, Common Point of Purchase, Laundering, Excessive Chargebacks, Excessive Fraud, Bankruptcy/Liquidation, BRAM violation, Questionable Merchant Audit Program, and Merchant Collusion. Each code triggers a minimum 5-year listing.
- How long does a merchant stay on MATCH?
- Typically 5 years from the date of listing, though Mastercard may extend or remove entries under specific circumstances. Listed merchants or their principals can apply for removal only via formal processes.
- Must acquirers screen against MATCH?
- Yes. Every new merchant application must be screened against MATCH as part of onboarding. Failing to screen, or approving a listed merchant without documented justification, is itself a compliance violation.
See how Kenal AURA handles this in production
Kenal AURA is the merchant lifecycle risk operations platform for acquirers, PSPs, and fintechs across Malaysia and ASEAN.