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Mastercard Transaction Li...

Last updated: 05 October 2026 | Change log

Preview only

This is a preview of functionality that is not yet released, and is therefore subject to change.

Estimated availability: Q4 2026

Mastercard has introduced a new Transaction Link Identifier (TLID) to improve both:

  • the linking of lifecycle messages within the context of a single payment
  • the linking of multiple individual payments that are economically linked (for example, distinct payments in a subscription series)

Mastercard generates a TLID for every transaction and we return it in your authorization response. We then use the TLID value in all subsequent lifecycle messages for the transaction. We also link one transaction to another in the case of linking subsequent recurring payments to the original recurring payment setup.

Note

The TLID will replace Mastercard's existing reference (Trace ID), but we will use both in parallel for some time.

Format: ^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{22}$

Examples: aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03, 3Xf-2aM5NMa02vKdrPSC20

Changes required

If you process subsequent recurring payments with the Payments API, you must link your subsequent recurring payment requests to your original recurring payment setup using the TLID value as well as the existing Trace ID returned to you in your initial payment response.

If you do not process subsequent recurring payments with the Payments API, you do not need to make any changes to your card payment authorization requests.

We automatically apply the TLID on your behalf for all lifecycle messages that follow an initial authorization (for example, when you send a payment for settlement, or request a refund).

Payment processing for card schemes other than Mastercard and Maestro remains unchanged.

Scenarios

Request a Mastercard subsequent recurring payment prior to the introduction of TLID

  1. Submit a subsequent recurring payment request, including a customerAgreement.schemeReference containing the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original recurring payment setup.

Example request:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
  1. We return the Trace ID value for the subsequent payment in the existing schemeReference field.

Example response:

{
  "schemeReference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
}
  1. You continue to use the same Trace ID value returned in the original setup response for all subsequent recurring payments in customerAgreement.schemeReference.

Example future request in this series:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}

Request a subsequent recurring payment where you don't have a TLID from the original setup

  1. Submit a subsequent recurring payment request, including a customerAgreement.schemeReference containing the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original recurring payment setup.

Example request:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
  1. We return the TLID for the subsequent payment in the existing schemeReference field, and a schemeSupplementaryReference containing the Trace ID value for that payment.

Example response:

{
  "schemeReference": "aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03",
  "schemeSupplementaryReference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
}
  1. Use the TLID received in the existing schemeReference field in any future recurring payments in this series, along with a schemeSupplementaryReference using the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original recurring payment setup.

Example future request in this series:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03",
    "schemeSupplementaryReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}

Request a subsequent recurring payment where you have a TLID from the original setup

  1. Submit a subsequent recurring payment request including the TLID value within customerAgreement.schemeReference and the Trace ID within customerAgreement.schemeSupplementaryReference.

Example request:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03",
    "schemeSupplementaryReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
  1. We return the TLID for this payment in the existing schemeReference field, and the schemeSupplementaryReference containing the Trace ID value for that payment.

Example response:

{
  "schemeReference": "aF3Yf6Ti94aG9vT-ctx0A2",
  "schemeSupplementaryReference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
}
  1. You continue to use the original TLID and Trace ID in any future recurring payments in this series.

Example future request in this series:

{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "storedCardUsage": "subsequent",
    "schemeReference": "aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03",
    "schemeSupplementaryReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}

Testing

You can test these scenarios in our Try environment. Contact your Relationship Manager to enable TLID.