Mastercard experienced major workforce layoffs in February 2024. The company did not officially disclose the actual number of laid-off employees. However, it was evident that there had been a major decrease in staff, affecting multiple departments and levels.
This was not the first time Mastercard had laid off employees. In February 2015, the company laid off around 500 employees as part of its restructuring plan. But why did Mastercard lay off its employees?
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About the company
Mastercard was founded in the 1960s as Interbank. It has since evolved to become one of the world’s best-known brands. The company is headquartered in New York, USA. It offers financial services across the globe. Its core business is to process payments between merchant banks and card-issuing banks or credit unions.
Mastercard was founded by a group of banks and regional card associations. The business was created in response to Bank of America’s BankAmericard. It ultimately became Visa and remains its main competitor. Before its first public offering, Mastercard Worldwide was a cooperative. It was controlled by over 25,000 financial institutions that issued its branded cards.
The Mastercard layoffs were one of the major events that threw a wrench in the success story of the company. The layoffs at Mastercard were a difficult but necessary move. It is important for the company’s long-term development and viability. Mastercard keeps adapting to the changing financial services. Meanwhile, it promises to provide cutting-edge payment solutions and value to its global customers.
Mastercard overcomes economic pressures
The finance and banking sectors are dealing with layoffs and ongoing inflation. However, Mastercard claims the impact on its own company has been minor. It is despite the recent effects of a cold snap in the United States and the likely disruption of the 2024 election season.
“The[overall job market stays strong. There’s low unemployment and strong pay,” said Michael Miebach, CEO of Mastercard, on an earnings call in January 2024. “While inflation is regulated, there are specific cases in which goods and services remain high.”
Mastercard declared $6.5 billion in net revenue for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. It is up 11% from roughly $5.85 billion a year ago. It posted a profit of $3.18 per share, up 18% from $2.70 the year before.
“We achieved strong earnings and revenue growth for the full year 2023. It was due to robust customer spending, cross-border volume growth of 24%, and the strong execution of our strategy,” Miebach stated.
However, in the US, the rate of payment growth is decreasing. Switched volume includes authorization, clearing, and settlement. It increased by 11% in the fourth quarter. But this is down from 14% in the third quarter but still higher than 10% in January 2024.
Mastercard, like Visa, blamed reduced January sales in part on the weather in the United States, citing a series of violent winter storms. When the weather was calmer, payment performance outside was comparable to December’s record. According to an analyst note from Jeffries, the January fall for Mastercard was most likely caused by poor weather.
Mastercard added that tougher comparisons affected the growth numbers for payments. It will be more difficult for current growth rates to catch up with the recent past. It’s because of the larger payment growth spikes that occurred late in 2022 and early in 2023.
According to Miebach, Mastercard is still looking for “secular” prospects in the US. It includes increasing open-loop transit payments, open banking, and real-time processing of payments.
Miebach mentioned that the card network is keeping an eye on elections. Also, he is planning alternatives based on unexpected news or alternative results. However, he did not specifically discuss how isolationism affects international payments.
Mastercard also aims to support payments in China in the near future, according to Miebach.
Why are there layoffs at Mastercard?
The key cause of the layoffs at Mastercard was the company’s restructuring initiatives. Businesses must constantly look at their strategies and workforce as they develop and evolve. MasterCard was not an exception. The company opted to restructure its operations. This is in order to improve operational efficiency and stay competitive in the fast-paced financial technology sector.
Layoffs are often viewed negatively. However, they play an important role in the reorganization of a company. Companies that reduce workers can streamline operations, increase productivity, and focus on important areas. The Mastercard layoffs were part of a larger strategy aimed at ensuring long-term profitability and growth.
According to sources, in February 2024, Mastercard reduced its workforce massively. However, the business does not officially reveal the number of laid-off employees. Every organization experiences peaks and falls, and Mastercard is no exception. The Mastercard layoffs are a tragic moment in company history.
Despite the layoffs, Mastercard continues to perform well in the market. Their stock price has risen this year, indicating the trust of investors. The business’s recent earnings reports reflect robust customer spending. It is important for its growth.
Mastercard has also been actively developing in the financial technology field. Thus making it easier for customers to open digital accounts and explore open banking alternatives.
Mastercard launches AI tool
In May 2024, Mastercard stated that it hopes to be able to identify stolen credit or debit card numbers. This can be done well in advance of the data being in the hands of online criminals, as stated.
Mastercard is incorporating artificial intelligence into its fraud-prediction system in its most recent software upgrade. Thus, it hopes that it will allow banks to exchange stolen cards before fraudsters use them.
Johan Gerber, executive vice president of security and cyber innovation at Mastercard, said,
“With the help of generative AI, we will be able to locate possible compromise sites for your credentials. We will identify how they might have been compromised. Also, we will swiftly resolve the issue for both you and our other customers who aren’t yet aware of their compromise.”
Mastercard claims that with this new upgrade, it will be able to use various patterns or contextual information. It includes geography, time, and addresses, along with partial yet stolen credit card numbers found in databases. It will help to reach consumers faster and replace the defective card.
The patterns can now be reversed. The batches of faulty cards were used to identify possibly hacked retailers or payment processors. According to Gerber, pattern identification goes beyond what humans can do with database queries or other typical methods.
Many stolen credit and debit card details are floating around on the dark web, ready for purchase by any thief. Many of them were taken from customers who used their credit or debit cards at the wrong gas station, ATM, or online retailer. However, the majority were taken from retailers in data breaches over the years.
These compromised cards may go unnoticed for weeks, months, or even years. Only when payment networks dig into the dark web to search for stolen numbers does a merchant discover a breach? Otherwise, the card is used by a criminal to make payments. Thus, banks realize a batch of cards has been compromised.
“It is now possible for us to proactively contact the banks to ensure that the customer is taken care of and receives a new card. This will allow them to resume their daily activities with minimal disturbance,” stated Gerber.
Mastercard’s move comes as its main competitor, Visa Inc., looks for ways to get users to discard their 16-digit credit and debit card numbers.
Conclusion
Mastercard is not only surviving. But they constantly look for new chances. The company has helped small businesses through a number of initiatives. They have reduced fees to ease the financial pressure on these firms. Also, they’ve begun exploring the possibility of cryptocurrencies, which are a promising route in today’s digital age.
Despite the layoffs, the company appears to remain focused on its aim of promoting financial access and economic growth. The Mastercard layoffs in February 2024 were a difficult decision. However, it is vital for the company to remain competitive. Despite the obstacles, Mastercard is performing well in the market. It has a rising stock price and high customer spending. The company actively innovates and supports small businesses, proving its dedication to growth and financial inclusion.
While layoffs are painful, Mastercard’s actions show its dedication to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing financial market. Thus, the business is ensuring its long-term prosperity.