MATCH Pro (formerly Mastercard Alert To Control High-Risk Merchants) is Mastercard's merchant risk information system that acquiring banks and authorized payment partners consult during underwriting and onboarding. A listing does not automatically block payment processing, but it complicates approval and makes it harder to open or keep merchant accounts. Because terminated processing relationships land merchants in the system, reducing fraud and payment-processing risk before it triggers a listing is the most reliable way to protect future acquiring relationships.
Ending up on the MATCH list is bad, but it doesn't have to ruin your business.
Acquiring banks make it possible for businesses to process credit card and debit card transactions. They receive the card numbers from the company’s payment processor and authorize the payment with the customer’s bank. These banks also collect funds for the business.
Retailers have to apply to work with these acquiring banks, and there could be situations where the bank declines a business’s application or ends a longstanding relationship with them. In many cases, these scenarios are the result of MATCH Pro.
Formerly known as MATCH (Mastercard Alert To Control High-Risk Merchants), MATCH Pro is Mastercard's merchant risk information system. It's used by acquiring banks and authorized payment partners while making underwriting and onboarding decisions.
Appearing in MATCH Pro doesn't automatically prevent a business from processing payments, but it can make approval decisions more challenging than they need to be and make it more difficult for retailers to open or maintain payment relationships.
This guide will explain what MATCH Pro is, how retailers can end up in the system, what happens if they do and the steps businesses can take to reduce payment risk before it affects growth.
MATCH Pro is Mastercard's merchant risk information system. Acquiring banks and other authorized entities use this program to share information about merchants whose payment processing relationships have been terminated for specific reasons.
The system is a risk-management tool that helps payment providers make more informed decisions about retailers before onboarding them.
Most people in the industry still refer to the system as the "MATCH list," but Mastercard officially uses the name MATCH Pro. You'll usually hear the program referred to as MATCH, even though it's no longer in operation.
The name doesn't really matter, though, as the purpose remains the same: helping payment providers identify potential risks before approving new merchant accounts.
MATCH Pro matters because of how much it could impact future payment processing opportunities for retailers. A listing can complicate onboarding with new providers, and understanding how the system works is the first step toward avoiding these challenges in the future.
You likely won't wake up one morning and discover you've been added to MATCH Pro out of nowhere, because a listing is usually the result of underlying risk issues that have been building over time. Understanding these risk factors helps you take action before payment relationships are affected.
Chargebacks are one of the most common indicators of merchant risk, and they, on average, cost banks between $9.08 and $10.32 to process. Occasional disputes are expected, but persistent chargeback problems might mean that the company has deeper issues that need attention.
Acquiring banks may determine that the merchant represents an elevated financial risk when its chargeback rates rise. If the relationship is ultimately terminated, the retailer could be reported to MATCH Pro depending on the circumstances.
Fraud losses are a major concern for payment providers, especially since Juniper Research estimates that the total value of ecommerce fraud will reach $131 billion by 2030. Retailers that see significant levels of unauthorized transactions or synthetic identity fraud may attract increased scrutiny from their acquirer.
Even if it's actually the retailer that is the victim of fraud in this situation, repeated fraud-related losses can raise questions about how seriously they take their prevention strategies and risk management processes.
Payment providers must comply with card network regulations, and retailers are expected to do the same. Certain violations may increase the likelihood of account termination and subsequent reporting.
Examples of these violations include, but aren't limited to:
Too many violations could put the business on the MATCH list until the issues are sorted out.
Retailers that accept card payments have to protect payment data. Significant failures related to data security or PCI compliance can create serious concerns for acquiring banks and payment processors.
Not every compliance issue will lead to account termination, but you'll be seen as a risk if there are repeated failures or major security incidents.
It's important to remember that placement in MATCH Pro is typically the result of a larger risk-management decision rather than a single isolated event. Acquirers evaluate multiple factors when determining whether a merchant relationship is sustainable, so one mistake won't put you on the list.
As a result, retailers should look at things like fraud prevention and chargeback management as interconnected parts of their overall payment risk strategy, rather than separate challenges to address one at a time.
No, it's possible to recover. A MATCH Pro listing will create challenges, but it doesn't automatically prevent a retailer from accepting card payments forever.
MATCH Pro isn't a permanent blacklist; it's a risk-management tool that gives acquiring banks and payment providers information on retailers before partnering with them. The decision to approve or decline a merchant relationship is up to the individual acquirer.
When reviewing a merchant with a MATCH Pro record, underwriters typically look beyond the listing itself. They want to understand the circumstances that led to the termination and whether the issues have been addressed. A merchant that can demonstrate meaningful improvements may be looked at differently than one that continues to show the same risk factors.
Common areas underwriters evaluate include:
There could be situations where payment providers are willing to evaluate applications based on the full context rather than the MATCH Pro record alone.
Remediation matters, and businesses that proactively address fraud and compliance concerns are often in a stronger position when seeking new payment processing relationships.
MATCH Pro helps acquiring banks and other authorized entities evaluate merchant risk during onboarding and account reviews. Mastercard won't publicly disclose every detail of the system, but there is some official documentation that outlines several categories of information that may be available to authorized users.
At a high level, MATCH Pro may include:
This information is supposed to provide context that helps acquirers conduct their due diligence when evaluating new merchant applications. It gives them more than a single data point, so underwriters can review available information alongside financial records and risk-management controls.
Another thing to remember is that MATCH Pro isn't a public database. This information is available only to authorized payment processors that have a legitimate business need to review merchant risk information.
One of the most common questions retailers ask after discovering a MATCH Pro listing is whether they can be removed from the list. The truth is that the answer to this question depends on the circumstances.
MATCH Pro records are managed according to Mastercard rules, and retailers cannot directly remove themselves from the system or apply for removal. There are, however, some situations where updates or removals may be possible.
Before taking any action, you'll want to figure out the specific reason for the listing. The acquiring bank or payment provider that reported the information can explain the applicable reason code and the circumstances that led to the termination, so you can ask them for that information. Understanding the root cause creates a path forward, making it extremely helpful.
The information on your company won't always be accurate, so retailers will want to carefully review the data and compare it against their records to check for errors. You'll want to document any inaccuracies you find and contact the reporting institution about them.
An accurate listing doesn't necessarily have to harm your business either, as long as you take the right steps afterward. You can strengthen your position by addressing the underlying issues, which might include:
Documenting these improvements will show acquirers that the original risk factors have been addressed, making them more likely to work with you.
Acquiring institutions have to submit MATCH Pro information, so any corrections or updates go through the organization that reported you. Their decision to remove this information depends on the circumstances and whether they found an error in their reporting.
There's no guarantee, but improving your fraud protection protocols can help you get off the list, too. Making an effort shows processors that you're serious about eliminating fraud, which goes a long way toward clearing your record.
A MATCH Pro listing doesn't automatically prevent a retailer from using the bank's payment processing services, but it can increase the attention you get and make it more difficult to establish new processor relationships.
Retailers may be reported to MATCH Pro when a payment processing relationship ends because of certain risk-related reasons. Common reasons include excessive chargebacks and significant fraud activity.
No, a MATCH Pro listing is a risk signal, but it's not a permanent ban from payment processing. Acquiring banks make independent underwriting decisions and often evaluate the circumstances behind the listing.
Authorized users might be able to look at merchant identifiers, termination-related details, applicable reason codes, principal owner information, historical inquiry records and certain onboarding-related data.
Yes, but it isn't straightforward. Retailers can't remove themselves directly, but corrections or updates may be possible through the acquiring institution that originally submitted the record.
Staying ahead of fraud and chargebacks is one way to keep your business on good terms with your payment processors. Otherwise, you could find yourself dealing with rejected account applications in the future.
ClearSale helps businesses build fraud strategies that balance protection and performance with a combination of AI-powered decision-making and manual review. The result is an all-around healthier business that payment processors are happy to do business with.
Talk with ClearSale about creating a fraud prevention program that reduces disputes and keeps acquirers collecting your payments for years to come.