New Mastercard BINs (series 2) Are Here. What Does It Mean?

May 9, 2017

What is a BIN?

A Bank Identification Number (or BIN) is the first 6 digits of a credit card number. BINs identify the bank that issued the card and help ensure that transactions are routed correctly. Though you might not give them much thought, BINs are an important part of the transaction process. Mastercard offers this short explanation video about BINs:

Mastercard’s New BINs

Previously, Mastercard BINs started with numbers from 51 – 55. Now, the company has a new BIN range, the 2-series, and valid Mastercards may start with numbers 2221 – 2720.

BINs by Card Brand

Each card brand has BINs that start with a specific number or set of numbers. The four most common credit cards in the US are Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Their starting BINs are as follows:

Visa: 4
Mastercard: 51-55, 2221-2720 (New)
Discover: 6011, 622126-622925, 644-649, 65
American Express: 34, 37

You can configure online payment forms to auto-select the type of card based on the BIN when a customer enters their card details to make a purchase. Some businesses choose to implement card-type recognition to streamline the checkout process and skip the step of requiring the customer to manually choose the card brand. If you utilize card type recognition, you’ll need to update your program to reflect the new Mastercard BINs or else your payment form may reject the customer’s card details. This can frustrate your customer and potentially increase order abandonment.

What do I need to do to accept the new Mastercard?

The good news is that processors have been aware of this change for months and many businesses won’t need to do anything. A representative from payment processor First Data (now Fiserv) indicated that some updates will occur automatically, while a representative for GDPay referenced terminal manufacturer Dejavoo’s auto update feature for its machines. Both of these comments indicate that there can be situations where a business would not need to take additional steps to accept the 2 series Mastercards. However, other businesses may require a manually-initiated update to their credit card terminal or online payment form. Businesses that use the following terminal brands may be more likely to need an update:

Equinox/Hypercom
Ingenico
PAX

Allen Friedman, VP of Payment Solutions at Ingenico, told CardFellow that businesses using an Ingenico model credit card machine may need to, “Get a download from their acquirer, processor, or software developer to add that card range from Mastercard in their device.” Note that just because you use one of the machines listed above doesn’t guarantee you’ll need an update, but it’s worth contacting your processor to confirm. It’s also important to note that a machine not listed here may still require an update. Whether you need one depends on your processor and the machine itself. Older machines that are no longer sold/supported by the manufacturer may not be update-eligible.

Ecommerce Businesses

Payment gateways and virtual terminals are less likely to require an update. Nick Starai, VP of Product Development at NMI, says that, “Much of the preparation for the new BINs will be done through payment gateways. Many merchants, particularly those who use hosted payment forms, will not need to make updates, as they will be covered by the changes made by their payment gateway provider.” However, as stated previously, if you utilize card-type recognition using the first digit(s) of a card to identify and auto-select the brand in a payment form, you’ll need to update that payment form. Starai notes, “The odds are that some merchants, most likely larger merchants who have their own card type detection logic implemented in their own systems, will have to make changes on their end.” If your forms ask customers to choose their card type manually, you likely will not need to update. If you’re a current CardFellow.com client and need assistance, you can contact us with questions. Please have your equipment brand and model information ready. Need a new terminal? Read reviews in our credit card machine directory.

Ben Dwyer

Ben Dwyer began his career in the processing industry in 2003 on the sales floor for a Connecticut‐based processor. As he learned more about the inner‐workings of the industry, rampant unethical practices, and lack of assistance available to businesses, he cut ties with his employer and started a blog where he could post accurate information about credit card processing. As the blog gained in popularity, Ben began directly assisting merchants in their search for a processor. Ben believes in empowering businesses by providing access to fair, competitive pricing, accurate information, and continued support. His dedication to transparency and education has made CardFellow a staunch small business advocate in the credit card processing industry.