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Mastercard Emerging Market
Mastercard incentivizes a few “newer” business types for credit card acceptance with lower rates for debit/prepaid cards. These include Schools, Government organizations, Utilities, Toll-Roads, and Insurance Sales
Since not all industries accept credit cards, Mastercard tries to incentivize “newer” industries with lower, more advantageous interchange rates. These are called Emerging Market interchange rates, and they apply to debit/prepaid cards only. The only qualifying business types are Schools, Government Offices, Insurance-sales, Utilities, and Toll-Roads.
Qualifications
- Must be classified as a School (MCC 8220, 8211, 8299), Utility (MCC 4899), Government Entity (MCC 9399, 9211, 9222, 9223), Insurance Sales (MCC 6300, 5960), Toll-Road (MCC 4784), or Government Postal Services (MCC 9402).
- Magnetic stripe, contactless, or chip data read, or key-entered, obtain customer’s signature when face-to-face.
- Authorize and settle within 2 days.
- Obtain and pass 1 valid electronic authorization.
- Can settle within 10% of authorized amount.
- Applies to debit/prepaid cards only.
What are the rates?
Emerging Markets Debit – 0.80% + $0.25
If debit card is Government-issued: Rate falls to 0.65% + $0.15, capped at $2.00
Downgrade (any reason): Standard Debit, 1.90% + $0.25/txn
Emerging Markets Prepaid – 0.80% + $0.25
Downgrade (any reason): Standard Prepaid, 1.90% + $0.25/txn
Regulated Debit – 0.05% + $0.22
Downgrade: This card type does not downgrade.
Who’s eligible?
Organizations must be classified as a School (MCC 8220, 8211, 8299), Utility (MCC 4899), Government Entity (MCC 9399, 9211, 9222, 9223), Insurance Sales (MCC 6300, 5960), Toll-Road (MCC 4784), or Government Postal Services (MCC 9402) to receive these rates.