There is one fact to confirm first. Maestro is a debit brand for which Mastercard stopped new issuance in Europe starting in July 2023, and the market is transitioning to Debit Mastercard. In Malta as well, existing issued cards will only remain in circulation until they expire, and the usage base is on a declining trend, so it cannot serve as a primary method for a new rollout.

Maestro should therefore be approached only as a complementary method to prevent payment failures for customers who already hold the card. If you are building a new payment mix for Maltese customers, it is appropriate to center it on general card networks and digital wallets, keeping Maestro only as far as ensuring acceptance is available.

When an existing Maestro cardholder makes a payment, it is authorized through the Mastercard network, and PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA, 3DS2) applies to online transactions. Once authorized, euro (EUR) proceeds are received by Hecto Financial, converted, and settled to the Korean merchant in the contract currency among USD, KRW, and JPY. Since this brand has stopped new issuance, it is common practice to display it alongside Debit Mastercard and similar methods at checkout.

Through Hecto Financial, a Korea-registered business can consider accepting existing Maestro cards, but since this brand has stopped new issuance, we recommend pairing it with a successor method such as Debit Mastercard. Detailed conditions require confirmation before signing a contract.

• Business registration country

  Confirm contract eligibility as a Korea-registered business

• Sales channels

  Integration method and priority vary depending on your online sales channel mix, such as owned storefronts, open marketplaces, and mobile apps

• Product categories handled

  Advance confirmation is needed to check whether your business falls under a category restricted by Maestro's merchant policies

• EU regulatory compliance

  Confirmation is needed that you comply with EU payment regulations such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)

Proceeds from existing Maestro card payments are likewise received by Hecto Financial in euros (EUR), converted, and settled to the Korean merchant in the contract currency among USD, KRW, and JPY. Even as the brand transitions to Debit Mastercard, this settlement structure remains the same. Refunds and cancellations are processed against the original card transaction, and you should also account for the possibility of refund requests arising from EU consumers' 14-day withdrawal right.

• Central Bank of Malta / Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)Official information on Malta's payment systems and supervisory regulations. If this page's content differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.