Mastercard has announced a series of enhancements to Mastercard In Control, its virtual card number (VCN) platform, including advanced virtual card controls that help reduce risk across the full payment lifecycle and a single API connection to its embedded partner network. The enhancements aim to enable enterprises, financial institutions, and platforms to manage payments with greater security, flexibility, and efficiency. Citi is the first issuer to launch the new capabilities.
Mastercard's VCN ecosystem now spans 43 countries and 174 currencies, reinforcing its ability to support global expansion.
New Issuer Enforced Controls allow issuers to set baseline guardrails at VCN creation, such as spend limits and validity periods.
Enhanced Clearing Controls extend validation beyond authorization into the clearing stage, enabling block of invalid transactions and centralized policy management.
Citi is the first issuer to roll out both Issuer Enforced and Clearing Controls globally.
Commercial Connect API provides a single API front door for virtual card capabilities, with expanded card controls and simplified integration.
Embedded VCN program launched in March 2025 now includes dozens of partners across expense management, ERP, travel, and healthcare platforms.
Mastercard today announced a series of enhancements to Mastercard In Control® – the industry-leading virtual card number (VCN) platform according to Kaiser Associates – reinforcing its position as a global leader in secure, scalable B2B payments. New innovations include advanced virtual card controls that help reduce risk across the full payment lifecycle, and one scalable connection to Mastercard's growing embedded partner network — enabling enterprises, financial institutions and platforms to manage payments with greater confidence, flexibility and efficiency.
Mastercard's VCN ecosystem now includes issuers, direct platforms and corporates transacting across 43 countries and 174 currencies, underscoring its ability to support global expansion while maintaining consistency and oversight. Mastercard data shows that fraud rates are less than one-fifth on virtual cards compared to non-virtual cards, with that number being even lower when those virtual cards are issued through Mastercard In Control. According to Kaiser Associates, virtual card providers increasingly compete on operational proof: platform maturity, configurable controls, ERP connectivity, and implementation paths that reduce friction for issuers and corporates.
"As payments become more digitized and embedded into business workflows, expectations for performance, security and control are higher than ever," said Marc Pettican, Global Head of Corporate Solutions at Mastercard. "We're expanding our virtual card capabilities to deliver more unified and scalable experiences — helping partners simplify how they implement and scale virtual card programs with greater security, control and consistency."
Mastercard is building on its security foundation with two distinct solutions that improve control across the virtual card lifecycle:
Issuer Enforced Controls — a new capability — applies at the point of virtual card number creation and allows issuers to set baseline guardrails, such as spend limits, transaction limit caps, and validity periods, helping ensure compliant controls are in place from the start and reducing fraud risk across virtual card programs.
Clearing Controls — introduced last year, now with new enhancements — extend control validation beyond authorization into the clearing stage. New enhancements enable corporates and platforms to block invalid transactions, apply more precise controls, and better manage payment timing, while supporting centralized policy management as programs scale.
Citi is already live with both Issuer Enforced and Clearing Controls and is expected to be the first issuer to roll out these VCN capabilities globally, later this year.
Commercial Connect API, the market's only single‑API front door according to Kaiser Associates, is simplifying how customers control and scale virtual card capabilities. New enhancements to the platform include:
Expanded card controls, including the ability to apply multiple control sets at the real card level — enabling controls to be enforced across all transactions and associated virtual cards without handling sensitive credentials
Simplified integration and accelerated access to end-to-end payment capabilities by enabling virtual card creation and payment initiation in one seamless step
Since Mastercard launched its embedded VCN program in March 2025, dozens of partners across expense management, ERP and accounts payable systems — as well as travel, hospitality, healthcare and e-commerce platforms — have signed up for a simpler, more unified corporate payment experience. As just one example, SAP recently enabled their partnership through the program – a foundational step in scaling embedded virtual cards.
Mastercard is also expanding its ecosystem through strategic partnerships and innovative use cases. For example, Mastercard and HSBC have launched a mobile virtual card solution in the UAE, enabling tokenized VCNs in digital wallets.
"As virtual card adoption accelerates, our clients need smarter, stronger tools to manage risk. Our deep collaboration with Mastercard makes Citi the first issuer to deliver these advanced security capabilities to the market on a global scale, further reinforcing our industry leadership in this space." - Scott Southall, Global Head of Citi Commercial Cards & Domestic Payments, Citi
"Our partnership with Mastercard helps Emburse make virtual cards a seamless part of everyday business workflows, giving customers greater security, control and visibility while simplifying how they manage and scale B2B payments." - Kalie Phillips, Vice President, Product Management at Emburse
"Our partnership with Mastercard marks an important step toward Autonomous Finance, embedding virtual card payments directly into the workflows our customers already run." - Thomas Mehlkopf, General Manager and Head of Treasury and Working Capital Management CoE at SAP SE
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
