Mastercard global system update causes widespread payment failures

A global Mastercard system update triggered widespread payment failures on August 15, affecting users across multiple countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The technical glitch resulted in declined transactions for card payments, digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Android Pay, and cash withdrawals.

In Australia, customers reported difficulties at major retailers like Bunnings and Woolworths, with some experiencing errors on both Mastercard and EFTPOS networks. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia advised customers experiencing declines to use the ‘savings’ option to process payments via eftpos.

Mastercard confirmed the disruption was caused by a scheduled system update and stated that all systems have since returned to normal operation. The incident highlights the systemic risks associated with the high concentration of the global payment market on a few core networks.