Mastercard stopped issuing new Maestro cards in Europe as of July 2023, and most existing cards are being replaced with Debit Mastercard upon expiration. Even in card-centric Spain, the share of Maestro transactions is on a steady decline, so this page should be read from the perspective of a supplementary method for not losing customers who already hold a Maestro card.

For a new adoption inquiry, then, a more realistic approach is to check whether Maestro authorization coverage is included in your general card acceptance rather than pursuing Maestro on its own. Unless you are also targeting customers in other European markets with a remaining Maestro base, it is fine to give Maestro a low priority when judged on Spain alone.

Existing Maestro card payments follow the same authorization process as a standard card, and PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA, 3DS2) may apply to online transactions. Hecto Financial collects the approved payment in euros (EUR), converts it, and settles it with the Korean merchant. Given that transaction volume itself is trending down due to the stop in new issuance, it is a good idea to set up monitoring metrics.

When integrating through Hecto Financial, the first step is to check whether Maestro is covered within the scope of general card acceptance. Because this brand has stopped new issuance, the value of a standalone contract is limited, and actual eligibility and terms (settlement cycle, fees, currency options) need to be confirmed with the sales team before contracting.

• Business registration country

  Confirm contract eligibility based on domestic business registration

• Sales channels

  The integration approach and priority differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as your own site, open marketplaces, and mobile apps

• Product categories

  Check in advance whether your category falls under restricted industries per Maestro's merchant policy

• EU regulatory compliance

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

Maestro transaction proceeds are also collected in euros (EUR) and, after conversion, settled in whichever currency was contracted — USD, KRW, or JPY. Refunds are processed as cancellations of the original transaction, but given that this brand's cards are being expired and replaced, the possibility of the card's status changing should be considered for delayed refunds; EU 14-day right-of-withdrawal refunds can be handled the same way as for a standard card.

• Banco de EspañaOfficial information on Spain's payment system and related regulations. Where this page differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.