If you’ve been placed on Mastercard’s MATCH list — formerly called the Terminated Merchant File or TMF — your ability to open a standard merchant account is severely limited. But being on the MATCH list doesn’t mean you can’t process payments.
What the MATCH List Is
MATCH (Merchant Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) is a database maintained by Mastercard. Acquiring banks are required to check it before approving new merchant accounts, and many will not work with any listed merchant regardless of the reason. The list is shared across the card networks.
How Businesses End Up on MATCH
Processors add merchants to MATCH for specific reasons, each assigned a reason code. Common codes include: Reason Code 4 (Bankruptcy), Reason Code 7 (Fraud), Reason Code 8 (Laundering), Reason Code 9 (Identity Theft), Reason Code 10 (Collusion Fraud), and Reason Code 11 (Excessive Chargebacks). Code 11 is the most common and the most recoverable.
How Long You Stay on MATCH
MATCH listings remain for 5 years from the date of addition. After 5 years, the listing expires automatically. During those 5 years, your options for domestic US processing are severely limited — but not eliminated.
Processing While on the MATCH List
Several acquiring banks work with MATCH-listed merchants, typically in offshore jurisdictions or through specialized domestic programs. Approval is still possible — but requires full disclosure of the MATCH reason, documentation of what’s changed since the listing, and acceptance of higher rates and reserve requirements. Daystar evaluates MATCH applications individually and has placed listed merchants back into processing.