Maestro is the debit brand for which Mastercard stopped new issuance in Europe starting in July 2023, with the market converting to Debit Mastercard. Even in Croatia, where cards are commonplace, it should be approached not as a primary target for new adoption but as a complementary method for customers who already hold existing cards.
There is a fact to confirm first. Mastercard stopped new Maestro issuance in Europe starting in July 2023, and cards that reach expiry are being replaced with Debit Mastercard. Croatia has a large base of past Maestro issuance because debit card use is common, but its share is shrinking over time. Maestro therefore has meaning not as the center of an adoption strategy, but only as a complementary method that prevents payment failures for customers who still hold existing, not-yet-replaced cards.
In practice, putting Mastercard-family acceptance in place naturally covers the Debit Mastercard conversion as well. For a Korean merchant preparing for the Croatia market, the reasonable approach is to first secure baseline Visa/Mastercard acceptance and digital wallets, and absorb residual Maestro demand within that setup.
When a customer holding an existing Maestro card pays online, approval is processed through the Mastercard network, and 3DS authentication may also be required under PSD2's Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). The approved amount is collected by Hecto Financial in euros (EUR), converted, and settled to the Korean merchant in the contracted currency among USD, KRW, and JPY. However, some older Maestro cards may have limited online payment support, so the actual scope of approval should be confirmed at integration.
Through integration with Hecto Financial, a Korean corporation can consider accepting the Mastercard family (including existing Maestro) without a local contract in Croatia. Since new issuance has been discontinued, please discuss the terms (settlement cycle, fees, currency options) from the perspective of overall card acceptance rather than standalone adoption.
※ This section describes the general support process and does not guarantee actual integration eligibility for any specific merchant. Please consult with us to confirm the precise scope of support and fees.
Confirm eligibility to contract as a business registered in Korea
The integration method and priority vary depending on your online sales channel mix — owned mall, open marketplace, mobile app, etc.
Check in advance whether your products fall under categories restricted by Maestro's merchant policy
Confirm compliance with EU payment rules such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)
Maestro approval proceeds are likewise collected by Hecto Financial in euros (EUR), converted, and settled in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was set under the contract. One point to note is that refunds are processed against the original card, so you should confirm before contracting how refunds are handled after a card expires or is replaced by Debit Mastercard, as well as how to respond to refund requests under the EU consumer's 14-day right of withdrawal.
Hecto Financial's team will work with you to review the right payment method mix for the Croatia market.
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