The first fact to confirm is that Maestro is a method in the wind-down phase. Mastercard suspended new Maestro issuance in Europe starting in July 2023, and existing cards are being replaced with Debit Mastercard as they expire. Luxembourg is a market where large numbers of people commute across the border from France, Belgium, and Germany every day and spend there, so debit cards issued in neighboring countries are used alongside local ones — and the current real-world usage base is essentially the portion of unexpired Maestro cards still remaining among them.

There is therefore little reason to newly consider Maestro as a standalone adoption; the realistic approach is to have general card acceptance in place — including Debit Mastercard — and accept any remaining Maestro transactions as a complement to that. For merchants with a high share of older European customers, it is appropriate to simply maintain acceptance until the transition is complete.

Payments with remaining Maestro cards are approved through the Mastercard network just like any other card, and online payments are subject to PSD2's SCA (3DS-based strong customer authentication). The approved euro (EUR) funds are received by Hecto Financial, converted, and settled with the Korean merchant in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was contracted.

The structure processes remaining Maestro transactions within the scope of Hecto Financial's card acceptance, and given the issuance-suspension trend, it makes more sense to consider this as part of the acceptance conditions for the Mastercard family as a whole rather than Maestro-specific terms. Detailed conditions are confirmed through a consultation before contracting.

• Business registration country

  Confirm whether a contract is available under a Korean business registration

• Sales channels

  The integration method and priorities differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as an owned storefront, open marketplaces, or a mobile app

• Product categories

  Check in advance whether your products fall under a restricted category under Maestro's merchant policies

• EU regulatory compliance

  Confirm compliance with EU payment regulations such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)

Euro (EUR) transactions approved via Maestro are, just like other cards, received by Hecto Financial and then, after conversion, paid to the Korean merchant in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was set in the contract. Refunds return to the original card, but if the card has expired or been replaced, confirming the processing path can take more time.

• Central Bank of Luxembourg (Banque centrale du Luxembourg) and the Luxembourg Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF)Official information on Luxembourg's payment systems and financial supervision. If this page's content differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.