In recent months, geopolitical instability has led European policymakers, central banks and market participants to increasingly perceive payments as critical infrastructure that should be managed more locally. Some are openly advocating for preferential treatment of homegrown, European or national solutions.
No matter where you stand in this debate, the facts should be clear. A European payment network exists today operating for Europe’s benefit. That network is Mastercard.
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We believe that payments must be resilient, reliable, secure, and aligned with European values. Ultimately, they connect Europe, its people and businesses with the rest of the world. And they are central to economic activity, consumer confidence and the effective functioning of the Single Market.
This is what we enable every day. We are focused on building Europe’s infrastructure, governance and partnerships locally — while bringing the strength, reach and scale of a global network.
A European company, deeply embedded in Europe
Mastercard has been part of Europe’s economic fabric for decades. From our roots as the company who ran Eurocard, to our role in pioneering technologies such as chip-and-PIN and contactless payments at a time when the Euro was created, Europe has long been, and continues to be, our innovation engine.
Today, we work with banks, fintechs, retailers of all sizes and governments across every EU member state and beyond. Europe is home to hundreds of millions of Mastercard-branded cards. We have thousands of employees working across a network of technology hubs, data centres, innovation labs and offices across the continent. Our technology hub in Dublin employs nearly 2,000 people focused on innovating that next set of payment technologies. Our European headquarters in Waterloo, Belgium, is where decisions are made, where our European Cyber Resilience Centre is based and where long-term investment is focused.
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By GlobalDataThis deep integration shapes our approach to the continent. We are not an external provider, but a local partner with a distinctly global reach and scale.
In October, I set out Mastercard’s commitment to championing trust and innovation in Europe’s digital economy, alongside concrete measures to strengthen Europe’s resilience, security and competitiveness. Today, we outline five core principles that guide our ongoing approach and delivery of those commitments.
Stability: We connect, you control
Payments are critical infrastructure. They must operate continuously, reliably, and at scale. Stability is non-negotiable. In Europe alone, last year, there were more than €3tn in cardholder activity on Mastercard-branded cards, underscoring the importance of always‑on resilience.
That is why, in October, we announced the next phase in localising and strengthening our European payments infrastructure, by investing €250m in new data centres in France to expand capacity and resilience. These facilities complement the dozen data centres we already operate across Europe.
In the second half of this year, more European payments will be authorised locally through our new data centres — the moment when a bank confirms a payment can go ahead. This marks just the first of many steps towards reinforcing Europe’s ability to rely on local, always-on infrastructure.
The goal is simple: greater resilience. Infrastructure that Europe can trust in all circumstances.
Standards: We uphold, you govern
Europe has established a clear regulatory and policy framework grounded in consumer protection, competition, AI Governance and data privacy.
Today, those standards support an ecosystem of over 980 million Mastercard branded cards in circulation, issued in partnership with banks and fintechs across Europe. At that scale, trust depends on transparent, systems and operations that align with European values and governance expectations.
Mastercard upholds local laws and governance requirements. We have pledged to challenge in court any unwarranted attempts to disrupt the security, confidentiality and integrity of Mastercard’s payments ecosystem. We stand by that pledge as we hold ourselves to the highest standards of compliance, transparency and accountability. As a Systemically Important Payment System in the EU, we take our responsibilities seriously and wear that title as a badge of honour.
Our role is to ensure that the systems European institutions and citizens rely on are transparent, and aligned with European values and expectations, both today and as regulation continues to evolve.
Security: We protect, you prosper
Fraud prevention, cyber resilience and data protection are embedded directly into our network, so that protection – and in turn trust – is built in by design. This enables European businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses and fast-growing digital companies, to focus on innovation and growth, safe in the knowledge they have strong, consistent protection.
We are pioneering AI powered cybersecurity technologies, with one of our solutions having prevented nearly €9bn in fraud across Europe — strengthening protections for consumers, merchants, and small businesses alike. We are also pioneering privacy-enhancing technologies, responsible data management, and AI tools, showcasing our commitment to human-centric innovation.
As digital payments continue to expand, our focus is on ensuring that security and protection support economic momentum and underpins prosperity.
Seamlessness: We innovate, you engage
Europe’s economy is open by nature. Europeans travel extensively, trade across borders and participate in global commerce every day. Payments must support that reality.
We strengthen the connection between a network that works in Europe and one that works for Europe. People and businesses can pay and get paid with confidence, whether at home or across borders, knowing their money, rights and data are protected on European terms and values.
Innovation is central to this effort. By reducing friction and improving digital experiences, we ensure that stronger European capabilities enhance participation, mobility and trust.
Europe is leading globally in the transition away from manual card entry online — a commitment made first in this region and now almost halfway to completion. Today, almost nine in ten in-person card transactions in Europe are contactless.
Success: We invest, you grow
Whatever the payments approach, it must deliver tangible outcomes for Europe, its people, its businesses and its public institutions.
That is why Mastercard continues to invest in European technologies, talent and partnerships, supporting Europe’s competitiveness in a rapidly changing global economy.
Through initiatives such as Start Path or Mastercard Strive Europe, we work alongside banks, fintechs and small businesses to help ideas scale, capabilities mature and innovation reach real-world impact.
From principle to practice
From established financial institutions to fast-growing fintechs, our model is built on collaboration — because Europe’s success is collective.
Our payments future will not be shaped by a single organisation, technology or policy choice. It will be built through shared responsibility and sustained collaboration.
Mastercard will continue to invest in European technologies and our European partnerships, which will strengthen competitiveness and create more economic opportunity for all Europeans.
Kelly Devine, President, Mastercard Europe
