Mastercard (MA) 10-Q 29 Apr 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 22, 2015
Entity Registrant Name	MASTERCARD INC
Trading Symbol	MA
Entity Central Index Key	1141391
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Class A Common Stock
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		1,116,113,409
Class B Common Stock
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		24,123,365

Consolidated_Balance_Sheet

Consolidated Balance Sheet (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$4,207	$5,137
Restricted cash for litigation settlement	540	540
Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value	1,589	1,168
Accounts receivable	1,072	1,109
Settlement due from customers	1,070	1,052
Restricted security deposits held for customers	953	950
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	644	741
Deferred income taxes	273	300
Total Current Assets	10,348	10,997
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $451 and $437, respectively	602	615
Deferred income taxes	76	96
Goodwill	1,469	1,522
Other intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $703 and $663, respectively	648	714
Other assets	1,490	1,385
Total Assets	14,633	15,329
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	406	419
Settlement due to customers	1,201	1,142
Restricted security deposits held for customers	953	950
Accrued litigation	731	771
Accrued expenses	2,169	2,439
Other current liabilities	477	501
Total Current Liabilities	5,937	6,222
Long-term debt	1,495	1,494
Deferred income taxes	102	115
Other liabilities	765	674
Total Liabilities	8,299	8,505
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 12)
Stockholders’ Equity
Additional paid-in-capital	3,883	3,876
Class A treasury stock, at cost, 247,890,237 and 237,008,743 shares, respectively	-10,949	-9,995
Retained earnings	14,006	13,169
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	-639	-260
Total Stockholders’ Equity	6,301	6,790
Non-controlling interests	33	34
Total Equity	6,334	6,824
Total Liabilities and Equity	14,633	15,329
Class A Common Stock
Stockholders’ Equity
Common stock	0	0
Total Equity	0	0
Class B Common Stock
Stockholders’ Equity
Common stock	0	0
Total Equity	$0	$0

Consolidated_Balance_Sheet_Par

Consolidated Balance Sheet (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation	$451	$437
Other intangible assets, accumulated amortization	$703	$663
Class A treasury stock, shares	247,890,237	237,008,743
Class A Common Stock
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, authorized	3,000,000,000	3,000,000,000
Common stock, issued	1,366,722,923	1,352,378,383
Common stock, outstanding	1,118,832,686	1,115,369,640
Class B Common Stock
Common stock, par value	$0.00	$0.00
Common stock, authorized	1,200,000,000	1,200,000,000
Common stock, issued	24,123,365	37,192,165
Common stock, outstanding	24,123,365	37,192,165

Consolidated_Statement_of_Oper

Consolidated Statement of Operations (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net Revenue	$2,230		$2,172
Operating Expenses
General and administrative	650		665
Advertising and marketing	142		149
Depreciation and amortization	87		73
Total operating expenses	879		887
Operating income	1,351		1,285
Other Income (Expense)
Investment income	9		7
Interest expense	-17		-6
Other income (expense), net	-3		-5
Total other income (expense)	-11		-4
Income before income taxes	1,340		1,281
Income tax expense	320		411
Net Income	$1,020		$870
Basic Earnings per Share	$0.89		$0.73
Basic Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding	1,148		1,185
Diluted Earnings per Share	$0.89		$0.73
Diluted Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding	1,152	[1]	1,189	[1]
[1]	For the periods presented, the calculation of diluted EPS excluded a minimal amount of anti-dilutive share-based payment awards.

Consolidated_Statement_of_Comp

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net Income	$1,020		$870
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	-375	[1],[2]	-1	[1]
Defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans	1		1
Income tax effect	0		0
Defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans, net of income tax effect	1	[1],[2]	1	[1]
Investment securities available-for-sale	-5		2
Income tax effect	0		0
Investment securities available-for-sale, net of income tax effect	-5	[1],[2]	2	[1]
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	-379	[1],[2]	2	[1]
Comprehensive Income	$641		$872
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, insignificant deferred costs related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and insignificant gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to general and administrative expenses and investment income, respectively.
[2]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the increase in other comprehensive loss related to foreign currency translation adjustments was driven by the devaluation of the Euro.

Consolidated_Statement_of_Chan

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity (USD $)	Total		Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Additional Paid-In Capital	Class A Treasury Stock	Non- Controlling Interests	Class A Common Stock	Class B Common Stock
In Millions
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$6,824		$13,169	($260)	$3,876	($9,995)	$34	$0	$0
Net income	1,020		1,020
Activity related to non-controlling interests	-1						-1
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	-379	[1],[2]		-379
Cash dividends declared on Class A and Class B common stock, $0.16 per share	-183		-183
Purchases of treasury stock	-958					-958
Share-based payments	11				7	4
Balance at Mar. 31, 2015	$6,334		$14,006	($639)	$3,883	($10,949)	$33	$0	$0
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, insignificant deferred costs related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and insignificant gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to general and administrative expenses and investment income, respectively.
[2]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the increase in other comprehensive loss related to foreign currency translation adjustments was driven by the devaluation of the Euro.

Consolidated_Statement_of_Chan1

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Cash dividends declared on Class A and Class B common stock, per share	$0.16

Consolidated_Statement_of_Cash

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Operating Activities
Net income	$1,020	$870
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of customer and merchant incentives	184	164
Depreciation and amortization	87	73
Share-based payments	-53	-74
Deferred income taxes	37	-67
Other	-37	2
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	-30	-15
Income taxes receivable	-63	0
Settlement due from customers	-108	-129
Prepaid expenses	-57	-180
Accrued litigation and legal settlements	-40	-27
Accounts payable	1	-46
Settlement due to customers	158	-55
Accrued expenses	-214	29
Net change in other assets and liabilities	26	23
Net cash provided by operating activities	911	568
Investing Activities
Purchases of investment securities available-for-sale	-1,123	-619
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	-12	-146
Purchases of property, plant and equipment	-31	-25
Capitalized software	-26	-24
Proceeds from sales of investment securities available-for-sale	516	341
Proceeds from maturities of investment securities available-for-sale	166	425
Decrease in restricted cash for litigation settlement	0	183
Other investing activities	-9	-5
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	-519	130
Financing Activities
Purchases of treasury stock	-947	-1,669
Proceeds from debt	0	1,487
Dividends paid	-184	-131
Tax benefit for share-based payments	27	38
Cash proceeds from exercise of stock options	10	8
Other financing activities	-6	-12
Net cash used in financing activities	-1,100	-279
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	-222	1
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	-930	420
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	5,137	3,599
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	4,207	4,019
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities
Fair value of assets acquired, net of cash acquired	13	246
Fair value of liabilities assumed related to acquisitions	$0	$42

Summary_of_Significant_Account

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	Organization
	MasterCard Incorporated and its consolidated subsidiaries, including MasterCard International Incorporated (“MasterCard International” and together with MasterCard Incorporated, “MasterCard” or the “Company”), is a technology company in the global payments industry that connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses worldwide, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash and checks. The Company facilitates the processing of payment transactions including authorization, clearing and settlement, and delivers related products and services. The Company makes payments easier and more efficient by creating a wide range of payment solutions and services through a family of well-known brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®. The Company also provides value-added offerings such as loyalty and reward programs, information services and consulting. The Company’s network is designed to ensure safety and security for the global payments system. A typical transaction on the Company’s network involves four participants in addition to the Company: cardholder, merchant, issuer (the cardholder’s financial institution) and acquirer (the merchant’s financial institution). The Company’s customers encompass a vast array of entities, including financial institutions and other entities that act as “issuers” and “acquirers”, as well as merchants, governments, telecommunication companies and other businesses. The Company does not issue cards, extend credit, determine or receive revenue from interest rates or other fees charged to cardholders by issuers, or establish the rates charged by acquirers in connection with merchants’ acceptance of the Company’s branded cards.
	Consolidation and basis of presentation
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MasterCard and its majority-owned and controlled entities, including any variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, there were no VIEs which required consolidation. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2015 presentation. In addition, for the three months ended March 31, 2014, contra revenue and general and administrative expenses were revised to correctly classify $5 million of customer incentive expenses as contra revenue instead of general and administrative expenses. This revision had no impact on net income. The Company follows accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
	The balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2014. The consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 and as of March 31, 2015 are unaudited, and in the opinion of management, include all normal recurring adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for interim periods. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the disclosures required by GAAP. Reference should be made to the MasterCard Incorporated Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for additional disclosures, including a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies.
	Non-controlling interest amounts are included in the consolidated statement of operations within other income (expense). For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 activity from non-controlling interests was insignificant.
	Recent accounting pronouncements
	Debt Issuance Costs - In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued accounting guidance that will change the current presentation of debt issuance costs on the balance sheet. This new guidance will move debt issuance costs from the assets section of the balance sheet to the liabilities section as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt issued. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.
	Consolidation - In February 2015, the FASB issued accounting guidance that amends current consolidation guidance. The amendments affect both the VIE and voting interest entity consolidation models and may change previous consolidation conclusions. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.
	Revenue Recognition - In May 2014, the FASB issued accounting guidance that provides a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers and supersedes most of the existing revenue recognition requirements. Under this guidance, an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is not permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.

Acquisitions_Notes

Acquisitions (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions
	In the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company acquired one business for $13 million in cash. The excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of net assets acquired was recorded as goodwill.
	The Company acquired eight businesses in 2014, two of which were acquired in the three months ended March 31, 2014. In 2014, two of the business combinations were achieved in stages, with non-controlling interests acquired in previous years. One of the business combinations was a transaction for less than 100 percent of the equity interest. The total consideration transferred was $575 million, primarily paid in cash, of which $224 million was related to the acquisitions in the three months ended March 31, 2014. Through March 31, 2015, the Company recorded $537 million as goodwill for businesses acquired in 2014 representing the final and preliminary estimates of the aggregate excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of net assets acquired. A portion of the goodwill is expected to be deductible for local tax purposes.
	The consolidated financial statements include the operating results of the acquired businesses from the dates of their respective acquisition. Pro forma information related to acquisitions was not included because the impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations was not considered to be material.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per Share
	The components of basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) for common stock were as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions, except per share data)
	Numerator:
	Net income	$	1,020	$	870
	Denominator:
	Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	1,148		1,185
	Dilutive stock options and stock units	4		4
	Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 1	1,152		1,189
	Earnings per Share:
	Basic	$	0.89	$	0.73
	Diluted	$	0.89	$	0.73
	1 For the periods presented, the calculation of diluted EPS excluded a minimal amount of anti-dilutive share-based payment awards.

Fair_Value

Fair Value	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Financial Instruments, Financial Liabilities, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract]
Fair Value and Investment Securities	Fair Value and Investment Securities
	Financial Instruments – Recurring Measurements
	The Company classifies its fair value measurements of financial instruments into a three-level hierarchy (the “Valuation Hierarchy”). Except for the reclassification of U.S. government securities from Level 2 to Level 1, there were no transfers made among the three levels in the Valuation Hierarchy during the three months ended March 31, 2015.
	The distribution of the Company’s financial instruments which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis within the Valuation Hierarchy was as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant			Fair
		in Active		Other		Unobservable			Value
		Markets		Observable		Inputs
		(Level 1) 1		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 2)
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	—	$	120	$	—		$	120
	U.S. government and agency securities 2	101		114		—			215
	Corporate securities	—		1,031		—			1,031
	Asset-backed securities	—		168		—			168
	Other	7		99		—			106
	Total	$	108	$	1,532	$	—		$	1,640
		December 31, 2014
		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant			Fair
		in Active		Other		Unobservable			Value
		Markets		Observable		Inputs
		(Level 1) 1		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 2)
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	—	$	135	$	—		$	135
	U.S. government and agency securities 2	85		114		—			199
	Corporate securities	—		618		—			618
	Asset-backed securities	—		178		—			178
	Other	13		56		—			69
	Total	$	98	$	1,101	$	—		$	1,199
	1 During 2015, U.S. government securities were reclassified from Level 2 to Level 1 due to a reassessment of the availability of quoted prices. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the 2015 presentation.
	2 Excludes amounts held in escrow related to the U.S. merchant class litigation settlement of $540 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, which would be included in Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy. See Note 6 (Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation) and Note 11 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further details.
	The fair value of the Company’s available-for-sale municipal securities, U.S. government agency securities, corporate securities, asset-backed securities and other fixed income securities included in the Other category are based on quoted prices for similar assets in active markets and are therefore included in Level 2 of the Valuation Hierarchy. The Company’s foreign currency derivative contracts have also been classified within Level 2 in the Other category of the Valuation Hierarchy, as the fair value is based on broker quotes for the same or similar derivative instruments. See Note 13 (Foreign Exchange Risk Management) for further details. The Company’s U.S. government securities and marketable equity securities are classified within Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy as the fair values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets in active markets.
	Financial Instruments - Non-Recurring Measurements
	Certain financial instruments are carried on the consolidated balance sheet at cost, which approximates fair value due to their short-term, highly liquid nature. These instruments include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, settlement due from customers, restricted security deposits held for customers, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, settlement due to customers and accrued expenses. In addition, nonmarketable equity investments are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for purposes of initial recognition and impairment testing.
	Debt
	The Company estimates the fair value of its long-term debt using the market pricing approach which applies market assumptions for relevant though not directly comparable undertakings. Long-term debt is classified as Level 2 of the Valuation Hierarchy. At March 31, 2015, the carrying value and fair value of long-term debt was $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively. At December 31, 2014, the carrying value and fair value of long-term debt was $1.5 billion.
	Settlement and Other Guarantee Liabilities
	The Company estimates the fair value of its settlement and other guarantees using the market pricing approach which applies market assumptions for relevant though not directly comparable undertakings, as the latter are not observable in the market given the proprietary nature of such guarantees. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the carrying value and fair value of settlement and other guarantee liabilities were not material. Settlement and other guarantee liabilities are classified as Level 3 of the Valuation Hierarchy as their valuation requires substantial judgment and estimation of factors that are not currently observable in the market. For additional information regarding the Company’s settlement and other guarantee liabilities, see Note 12 (Settlement and Other Risk Management).
	Non-Financial Instruments
	Certain assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis for purposes of initial recognition and impairment testing. The Company’s non-financial assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis include property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets. These assets are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances, such as when there is evidence of impairment.
	Amortized Costs and Fair Values – Available-for-Sale Investment Securities
	The major classes of the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities, for which unrealized gains and losses are recorded as a separate component of other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, and their respective amortized cost basis and fair values as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Amortized		Gross		Gross			Fair
		Cost		Unrealized		Unrealized			Value
				Gain		Loss
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	120	$	—	$	—		$	120
	U.S. government and agency securities	215		—		—			215
	Corporate securities	1,031		1		(1		)	1,031
	Asset-backed securities	168		—		—			168
	Other	64		1		(10		)	55
	Total	$	1,598	$	2	$	(11	)	$	1,589
		December 31, 2014
		Amortized		Gross		Gross			Fair
		Cost		Unrealized		Unrealized			Value
				Gain		Loss
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	135	$	—	$	—		$	135
	U.S. government and agency securities	199		—		—			199
	Corporate securities	619		—		(1		)	618
	Asset-backed securities	178		—		—			178
	Other	41		1		(4		)	38
Total	$	1,172	$	1	$	(5	)	$	1,168
The municipal securities are primarily comprised of tax-exempt bonds and are diversified across states and sectors. The U.S. government and agency securities are primarily invested in U.S. government bonds and U.S. government sponsored agency bonds. Corporate securities are comprised of commercial paper and corporate bonds. The asset-backed securities are investments in bonds which are collateralized primarily by automobile loan receivables.
Investment Maturities
The maturity distribution based on the contractual terms of the Company’s investment securities at March 31, 2015 was as follows:
	Available-For-Sale
	Amortized		Fair Value
	Cost
	(in millions)
Due within 1 year	$	591	$	591
Due after 1 year through 5 years	970		970
Due after 5 years through 10 years	6		6
Due after 10 years	15		15
No contractual maturity 1	16		7
Total	$	1,598	$	1,589
1 Equity securities have been included in the No contractual maturity category, as these securities do not have stated maturity dates.
Gross realized gains and losses
Gross realized gains and losses are recorded within investment income on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The gross realized gains and losses from the sales of available-for-sale securities for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were not significant.

Prepaid_Expenses_and_Other_Ass

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets	Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	328	$	260
	Prepaid income taxes	44		237
	Other	272		244
	Total prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	644	$	741
	Other assets consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	641	$	556
	Nonmarketable equity investments	242		245
	Prepaid income taxes	362		407
	Income taxes receivable	153		89
	Other	92		88
	Total other assets	$	1,490	$	1,385
	Customer and merchant incentives represent payments made or amounts to be paid to customers and merchants under business agreements. Costs directly related to entering into such an agreement are generally deferred and amortized over the life of the agreement. Amounts to be paid for these incentives and the related liability were included in accrued expenses and other liabilities.
	Prepaid income taxes primarily consists of taxes paid in the fourth quarter of 2014 relating to the deferred charge resulting from the reorganization of our legal entity and tax structure to better align with our business footprint of our non-U.S. operations.

Accrued_Expenses

Accrued Expenses	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation	Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation
	Accrued expenses consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	1,497	$	1,433
	Personnel costs	271		531
	Advertising	77		154
	Income and other taxes	137		105
	Other	187		216
	Total accrued expenses	$	2,169	$	2,439
	In the fourth quarter of 2014, a severance charge of $87 million was recorded in general and administrative expenses. The Company restructured its organization to align with its strategic priorities and to best meet the Company’s continued growth. The Company expects to be substantially complete with these restructuring activities by the second quarter of 2015. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 personnel costs included an accrual of $68 million and $84 million, respectively, related to this severance charge. The decrease in the balance was primarily due to payments and foreign currency translation.
	As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the Company’s provision related to U.S. merchant litigations was $731 million and $771 million, respectively. These amounts are not included in the accrued expenses table above and are separately reported as accrued litigation on the consolidated balance sheet. During the first quarter of 2015, MasterCard executed settlement agreements with a number of opt-out merchants and no adjustment to the amount previously recorded was deemed necessary. See Note 11 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further discussion of the U.S. merchant class litigation.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity
	In February 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to $2 billion of its Class A common stock (the “February 2013 Share Repurchase Program”).  The program became effective in March 2013 at the completion of the Company’s previously announced $1.5 billion Class A share repurchase program.
	In December 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to $3.5 billion of its Class A common stock (the “December 2013 Share Repurchase Program”). This program became effective at the completion of the Company’s February 2013 Share Repurchase Program, which occurred in January 2014.
	In December 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to $3.75 billion of its Class A common stock (the “December 2014 Share Repurchase Program”). This program became effective at the completion of the Company’s December 2013 Share Repurchase Program, which occurred in January 2015.
	The following table summarizes the Company’s share repurchase authorizations of its Class A common stock through March 31, 2015, as well as historical purchases:
		Authorization Dates
		Dec-14		December		February		Total
				2013		2013
		(in millions, except average price data)
	Board authorization	$	3,750	$	3,500	$	2,000	$	9,250
	Dollar value of shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2014	$	—	$	1,508	$	161	$	1,669
	Remaining authorization at December 31, 2014	$	3,750	$	275	$	—	$	4,025
	Dollar value of shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2015	$	672	$	275	$	—	$	947
	Remaining authorization at March 31, 2015	$	3,078	$	—	$	—	$	3,078
	Shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2014	—		19.4		1.9		21.3
	Average price paid per share during the three months ended March 31, 2014	$	—	$	77.7	$	83.22	$	78.2
	Shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2015	7.8		3.2		—		11
	Average price paid per share during the three months ended March 31, 2015	$	87.17	$	84.31	$	—	$	86.32
	Cumulative shares repurchased through March 31, 2015	7.8		45.8		31.1		84.7
	Cumulative average price paid per share	$	87.17	$	76.42	$	64.26	$	72.93

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
	The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans			Investment Securities Available-for-Sale			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
		(in millions)
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	206		$	(29	)	$	1		$	178
	Current period other comprehensive income (loss) 1	(1		)	1			2			2
	Balance at March 31, 2014	$	205		$	(28	)	$	3		$	180
	Balance at December 31, 2014	$	(230	)	$	(26	)	$	(4	)	$	(260	)
	Current period other comprehensive income (loss) 1, 2	(375		)	1			(5		)	(379		)
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	(605	)	$	(25	)	$	(9	)	$	(639	)
	1 During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, insignificant deferred costs related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and insignificant gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to general and administrative expenses and investment income, respectively.
	2 During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the increase in other comprehensive loss related to foreign currency translation adjustments was driven by the devaluation of the Euro.

ShareBased_Payments

Share-Based Payments	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-Based Payments	Share-Based Payments
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company granted the following awards under the MasterCard Incorporated 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (“LTIP”). The LTIP is a shareholder-approved omnibus plan that permits the grant of various types of equity awards to employees.
		Granted in 2015	Weighted-Average
			Grant-Date
			Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Non-qualified stock options	1,618	$17
	Restricted stock units	1,166	$88
	Performance stock units	130	$99
	Stock options generally vest in four equal annual installments beginning one year after the date of grant, and have a term of ten years. The Company used the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the grant date fair value of stock options and calculated the expected term and the expected volatility based on historical MasterCard information. As a result, the expected term of stock options granted in the first quarter 2015 was five years, while the expected volatility was determined to be 20.6%.
	Vesting of the shares underlying the restricted stock units and performance stock units will generally occur three years after the date of grant. The fair value of restricted stock units is determined and fixed on the grant date based on the Company’s Class A common stock price, adjusted for the exclusion of dividend equivalents. The Monte Carlo simulation valuation model was used to determine the grant date fair value of performance stock units granted.
	Compensation expense is recorded net of estimated forfeitures over the shorter of the vesting period or the date the individual becomes eligible to retire under the LTIP. The Company uses the straight-line method of attribution over the requisite service period for expensing equity awards.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	The effective income tax rates were 23.9% and 32.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2015, the effective tax rate was lower than the effective tax rate for the comparable period in 2014, due to the recognition of a discrete benefit relating to certain foreign taxes becoming eligible to be claimed as credits in the United States, a larger repatriation benefit and a more favorable mix of taxable earnings.
	During the fourth quarter of 2014, in connection with an initiative to better align its legal entity and tax structure with its operational footprint outside the U.S., the Company recorded a deferred charge related to the income tax expense on intercompany profits. The deferred charge resulted from the transfer of intellectual property from Belgium to a related foreign entity in the United Kingdom. Management believes this improved alignment will result in greater flexibility and efficiency with regard to the global deployment of cash, as well as ongoing benefits in the Company’s effective tax rate. The tax associated with the transfer is deferred and amortized utilizing a 25-year life. This deferred charge is included in other current assets and other assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2015 in the amounts of $15 million and $362 million, respectively. The comparable amounts included in other current assets and other assets were $18 million and $407 million, respectively, at December 31, 2014, with the difference driven by changes in foreign exchange rates and current period amortization.
	The Company conducts operations in multiple countries and, as a result, is subjected to tax examinations in various jurisdictions, including the United States.  Uncertain tax positions are reviewed on an ongoing basis and are adjusted after considering facts and circumstances, including progress of tax audits, developments in case law and closing of statutes of limitations.  The Company has effectively settled its U.S. federal income tax obligations through 2008. With limited exception, the Company is no longer subject to state and local or foreign examinations by taxing authorities for years before 2006.  Within the next twelve months, the Company believes that the resolution of certain federal, foreign and state and local tax examinations are reasonably possible and that a change in estimate, reducing unrecognized tax benefits, may occur. While such a change may be significant, it is not possible to provide a range of the potential change until the examinations progress further or the related statutes of limitation expire.

Legal_and_Regulatory_Proceedin

Legal and Regulatory Proceedings	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings	Legal and Regulatory Proceedings
	MasterCard is a party to legal and regulatory proceedings with respect to a variety of matters in the ordinary course of business.  Some of these proceedings are based on complex claims involving substantial uncertainties and unascertainable damages.  Accordingly, except as discussed below, it is not possible to determine the probability of loss or estimate damages, and therefore, MasterCard has not established reserves for any of these proceedings.  When the Company determines that a loss is both probable and estimable, MasterCard records a liability and discloses the amount of the liability if it is material. When a material loss contingency is only reasonably possible, MasterCard does not record a liability, but instead discloses the nature and the amount of the claim, and an estimate of the loss or range of loss, if such an estimate can be made. Unless otherwise stated below with respect to these matters, MasterCard cannot provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss based on one or more of the following reasons: (1) actual or potential plaintiffs have not claimed an amount of monetary damages or the amounts are unsupportable or exaggerated, (2) the matters are in early stages, (3) there is uncertainty as to the outcome of pending appeals or motions, (4) there are significant factual issues to be resolved, (5) the existence in many such proceedings of multiple defendants or potential defendants whose share of any potential financial responsibility has yet to be determined, and/or (6) there are novel legal issues presented. Furthermore, except as identified with respect to the matters below, MasterCard does not believe that the outcome of any individual existing legal or regulatory proceeding to which it is a party will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial condition or overall business.  However, an adverse judgment or other outcome or settlement with respect to any proceedings discussed below could result in fines or payments by MasterCard and/or could require MasterCard to change its business practices. In addition, an adverse outcome in a regulatory proceeding could lead to the filing of civil damage claims and possibly result in significant damage awards. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on MasterCard’s results of operations, financial condition and overall business.
	Interchange Litigation and Regulatory Proceedings
	MasterCard’s interchange fees and other practices are subject to regulatory and/or legal review and/or challenges in a number of jurisdictions, including the proceedings described below. When taken as a whole, the resulting decisions, regulations and legislation with respect to interchange fees and acceptance practices may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s prospects for future growth and its overall results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
	United States. In June 2005, the first of a series of complaints were filed on behalf of merchants (the majority of the complaints were styled as class actions, although a few complaints were filed on behalf of individual merchant plaintiffs) against MasterCard International, Visa U.S.A., Inc., Visa International Service Association and a number of financial institutions. Taken together, the claims in the complaints were generally brought under both Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, which prohibit monopolization and attempts or conspiracies to monopolize a particular industry, and some of these complaints contain unfair competition law claims under state law. The complaints allege, among other things, that MasterCard, Visa, and certain financial institutions conspired to set the price of interchange fees, enacted point of sale acceptance rules (including the no surcharge rule) in violation of antitrust laws and engaged in unlawful tying and bundling of certain products and services. The cases were consolidated for pre-trial proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in MDL No. 1720. The plaintiffs filed a consolidated class action complaint that seeks treble damages.
	In July 2006, the group of purported merchant class plaintiffs filed a supplemental complaint alleging that MasterCard’s initial public offering of its Class A Common Stock in May 2006 (the “IPO”) and certain purported agreements entered into between MasterCard and financial institutions in connection with the IPO: (1) violate U.S. antitrust laws and (2) constituted a fraudulent conveyance because the financial institutions allegedly attempted to release, without adequate consideration, MasterCard’s right to assess them for MasterCard’s litigation liabilities. The class plaintiffs sought treble damages and injunctive relief including, but not limited to, an order reversing and unwinding the IPO.
	In February 2011, MasterCard and MasterCard International entered into each of: (1) an omnibus judgment sharing and settlement sharing agreement with Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. Inc. and Visa International Service Association and a number of financial institutions; and (2) a MasterCard settlement and judgment sharing agreement with a number of financial institutions.  The agreements provide for the apportionment of certain costs and liabilities which MasterCard, the Visa parties and the financial institutions may incur, jointly and/or severally, in the event of an adverse judgment or settlement of one or all of the cases in the merchant litigations.  Among a number of scenarios addressed by the agreements, in the event of a global settlement involving the Visa parties, the financial institutions and MasterCard, MasterCard would pay 12% of the monetary portion of the settlement. In the event of a settlement involving only MasterCard and the financial institutions with respect to their issuance of MasterCard cards, MasterCard would pay 36% of the monetary portion of such settlement.
	In October 2012, the parties entered into a definitive settlement agreement with respect to the merchant class litigation (including with respect to the claims related to the IPO) and the defendants separately entered into a settlement agreement with the individual merchant plaintiffs. The settlements included cash payments that were apportioned among the defendants pursuant to the omnibus judgment sharing and settlement sharing agreement described above. MasterCard also agreed to provide class members with a short-term reduction in default credit interchange rates and to modify certain of its business practices, including its No Surcharge Rule. Objections to the settlement were filed by both merchants and certain competitors, including Discover. Discover’s objections include a challenge to the settlement on the grounds that certain of the rule changes agreed to in the settlement constitute a restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The court granted final approval of the settlement in December 2013, which has been appealed by objectors to the settlement.
	Merchants representing slightly more than 25% of the MasterCard and Visa purchase volume over the relevant period chose to opt out of the class settlement. MasterCard anticipates that most of the larger merchants who opted out of the settlement will initiate separate actions seeking to recover damages, and over 30 opt-out complaints have been filed on behalf of numerous merchants in various jurisdictions. The defendants have consolidated all of these matters (except for one state court action in Texas) in front of the same federal district court that is overseeing the approval of the settlement. In July 2014, the district court denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss the opt-out merchant complaints for failure to state a claim.
	MasterCard recorded a pre-tax charge of $770 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 and an additional $20 million pre-tax charge in the second quarter of 2012 relating to the settlement agreements described above. In 2012, MasterCard paid $790 million with respect to the settlements, of which $726 million was paid into a qualified cash settlement fund related to the merchant class litigation. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, MasterCard had $540 million, in the qualified cash settlement fund classified as restricted cash on its balance sheet. The class settlement agreement provided for a return to the defendants of a portion of the class cash settlement fund, based upon the percentage of purchase volume represented by the opt-out merchants. This resulted in $164 million from the cash settlement fund being returned to MasterCard in January 2014 and reclassified at that time from restricted cash to cash and cash equivalents. In the fourth quarter of 2013, MasterCard recorded an incremental net pre-tax charge of $95 million related to the opt-out merchants, representing a change in its estimate of probable losses relating to these matters.  MasterCard has executed settlement agreements with a number of opt-out merchants and no adjustment to the amount previously recorded was deemed necessary. As of March 31, 2015, MasterCard had accrued a liability of $731 million as a reserve for both the merchant class litigation and the filed and anticipated opt-out merchant cases.
	The portion of the accrued liability relating to the opt-out merchants does not represent an estimate of a loss, if any, if the opt-out merchant matters were litigated to a final outcome, in which case MasterCard cannot estimate the potential liability. MasterCard’s estimate involves significant judgment and may change depending on progress in settlement negotiations or depending upon decisions in any opt-out merchant cases. In addition, in the event that the merchant class litigation settlement approval is overturned on appeal, a negative outcome in the litigation could have a material adverse effect on MasterCard’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
	Canada. In December 2010, a proposed class action complaint was commenced against MasterCard in Quebec on behalf of Canadian merchants. That suit essentially repeated the allegations and arguments of a previously filed application by the Canadian Competition Bureau to the Canadian Competition Tribunal (dismissed in MasterCard’s favor) related to certain MasterCard rules related to point-of-sale acceptance, including the “honor all cards” and “no surcharge” rules. The suit sought compensatory and punitive damages in unspecified amounts, as well as injunctive relief. In the first half of 2011, additional purported class action lawsuits containing similar allegations to the Quebec class action were commenced in British Columbia and Ontario against MasterCard, Visa and a number of large Canadian financial institutions. The British Columbia suit seeks compensatory damages in unspecified amounts, and the Ontario suit seeks compensatory damages of $5 billion. The British Columbia and Ontario suits also seek punitive damages in unspecified amounts, as well as injunctive relief, interest and legal costs. In April 2012, the Quebec suit was amended to include the same defendants and similar claims as in the British Columbia and Ontario suits. With respect to the status of the proceedings: (1) the Quebec suit has been stayed, (2) the Ontario suit is being temporarily suspended while the British Columbia suit proceeds, and (3) the British Columbia court issued an order in March 2014 certifying a number of the merchants’ causes of action. The parties have appealed the certification decision. Additional proposed class action complaints have been filed in Saskatchewan and Alberta with claims that largely mirror those in the British Columbia and Ontario suits. If the class action lawsuits are ultimately successful, negative decisions could have a significant adverse impact on the revenue of MasterCard’s Canadian customers and on MasterCard’s overall business in Canada and could result in substantial damage awards.
	Europe. In April 2013, the European Commission announced that it has opened proceedings to investigate: (1) MasterCard’s interregional interchange fees that apply when a card issued outside the EEA is used at a merchant location in the EEA, (2) central acquiring rules, which apply when a merchant uses the services of an acquirer established in another country and (3) other business rules and practices (including the “honor all cards” rule).
	In the United Kingdom, beginning in May 2012, a number of retailers filed claims against MasterCard seeking damages for alleged anti-competitive conduct with respect to MasterCard’s cross-border interchange fees and its U.K. and Ireland domestic interchange fees. More than 20 different retailers have filed claims or notice of claims.  An additional 13 potential claimant retailers have agreed to delay filing their claims in exchange for MasterCard agreeing to suspend the running of the time limitations on their damages claims.  Although the claimants have not quantified the full extent of their compensatory and punitive damages, their purported damages exceed $2 billion.  MasterCard has submitted statements of defense to the retailers’ claims disputing liability and damages.  A court in one of the actions has scheduled a trial for January 2016. Similarly, in Belgium, a retailer filed claims in December 2012 for unspecified damages with respect to MasterCard’s cross-border and domestic interchange fees paid in Belgium, Greece and Luxembourg.
	ATM Non-Discrimination Rule Surcharge Complaints
	In October 2011, a trade association of independent Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) operators and 13 independent ATM operators filed a complaint styled as a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against both MasterCard and Visa (the “ATM Operators Complaint”).  Plaintiffs seek to represent a class of non-bank operators of ATM terminals that operate ATM terminals in the United States with the discretion to determine the price of the ATM access fee for the terminals they operate. Plaintiffs allege that MasterCard and Visa have violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act by imposing rules that require ATM operators to charge non-discriminatory ATM surcharges for transactions processed over MasterCard’s and Visa’s respective networks that are not greater than the surcharge for transactions over other networks accepted at the same ATM.  Plaintiffs seek both injunctive and monetary relief equal to treble the damages they claim to have sustained as a result of the alleged violations and their costs of suit, including attorneys’ fees.  Plaintiffs have not quantified their damages although they allege that they expect damages to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
	Subsequently, multiple related complaints were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging both federal antitrust and multiple state unfair competition, consumer protection and common law claims against MasterCard and Visa on behalf of putative classes of users of ATM services (the “ATM Consumer Complaints”).  The claims in these actions largely mirror the allegations made in the ATM Operators Complaint, although these complaints seek damages on behalf of consumers of ATM services who pay allegedly inflated ATM fees at both bank and non-bank ATM operators as a result of the defendants’ ATM rules.  Plaintiffs seek both injunctive and monetary relief equal to treble the damages they claim to have sustained as a result of the alleged violations and their costs of suit, including attorneys’ fees.  Plaintiffs have not quantified their damages although they allege that they expect damages to be in the tens of millions of dollars.
	In January 2012, the plaintiffs in the ATM Operators Complaint and the ATM Consumer Complaints filed amended class action complaints that largely mirror their prior complaints. In February 2013, the district court granted MasterCard’s motion to dismiss the complaints for failure to state a claim, and in December 2013 denied the plaintiffs’ motion to amend their complaints. The plaintiffs have appealed these actions.

Settlement_and_Other_Risk_Mana

Settlement and Other Risk Management	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Settlement and Other Risk Management [Abstract]
Settlement and Other Risk Management	Settlement and Other Risk Management
	MasterCard’s rules guarantee the settlement of many of the MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro branded transactions between its issuers and acquirers (“settlement risk”). Settlement exposure is the outstanding settlement risk to customers under MasterCard’s rules due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement. While the term and amount of the guarantee are unlimited, the duration of settlement exposure is short term and typically limited to a few days. Gross settlement exposure is estimated using the average daily card volume during the quarter multiplied by the estimated number of days to settle. The Company has global risk management policies and procedures, which include risk standards, to provide a framework for managing the Company’s settlement risk. Customer-reported transaction data and the transaction clearing data underlying the settlement exposure calculation may be revised in subsequent reporting periods.
	In the event that MasterCard effects a payment on behalf of a failed customer, MasterCard may seek an assignment of the underlying receivables of the failed customer. Customers may be charged for the amount of any settlement loss incurred during these ordinary course activities of the Company.
	The Company’s global risk management policies and procedures are aimed at managing the settlement exposure. These risk management procedures include interaction with the bank regulators of countries in which it operates, requiring customers to make adjustments to settlement processes, and requiring collateral from customers. MasterCard requires certain customers that are not in compliance with the Company’s risk standards in effect at the time of review to post collateral, typically in the form of cash, letters of credit, or guarantees. This requirement is based on management’s review of the individual risk circumstances for each customer that is out of compliance. In addition to these amounts, MasterCard holds collateral to cover variability and future growth in customer programs. The Company may also hold collateral to pay merchants in the event of an acquirer failure. Although the Company is not contractually obligated under its rules to effect such payments to merchants, the Company may elect to do so to protect brand integrity. MasterCard monitors its credit risk portfolio on a regular basis and the adequacy of collateral on hand. Additionally, from time to time, the Company reviews its risk management methodology and standards. As such, the amounts of estimated settlement exposure are revised as necessary.
	The Company’s estimated settlement exposure from MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro branded transactions was as follows:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
		(in millions)
	Gross settlement exposure	$	37,257		$	41,729
	Collateral held for settlement exposure	(3,517		)	(3,415		)
	Net uncollateralized settlement exposure	$	33,740		$	38,314
	General economic and political conditions in countries in which MasterCard operates affect the Company’s settlement risk. Many of the Company’s financial institution customers have been directly and adversely impacted by political instability and uncertain economic conditions. These conditions present increased risk that the Company may have to perform under its settlement guarantee. This risk could increase if political, economic and financial market conditions deteriorate further. The Company’s global risk management policies and procedures are revised and enhanced from time to time. Historically, the Company has experienced a low level of losses from financial institution failures.
	MasterCard also provides guarantees to customers and certain other counterparties indemnifying them from losses stemming from failures of third parties to perform duties. This includes guarantees of MasterCard-branded travelers cheques issued, but not yet cashed of $448 million and $465 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, of which $355 million and $370 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, is mitigated by collateral arrangements. In addition, the Company enters into business agreements in the ordinary course of business under which the Company agrees to indemnify third parties against damages, losses and expenses incurred in connection with legal and other proceedings arising from relationships or transactions with the Company. Certain indemnifications do not provide a stated maximum exposure. As the extent of the Company’s obligations under these agreements depends entirely upon the occurrence of future events, the Company’s potential future liability under these agreements is not determinable. Historically, payments made by the Company under these types of contractual arrangements have not been material.

Foreign_Exchange_Risk_Manageme

Foreign Exchange Risk Management	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Foreign Currency Derivatives [Abstract]
Foreign Exchange Risk Management	Foreign Exchange Risk Management
	The Company enters into foreign currency forward contracts to manage risk associated with anticipated receipts and disbursements which are either transacted in a non-functional currency or valued based on a currency other than its functional currency. The Company may also enter into foreign currency derivative contracts to offset possible changes in value due to foreign exchange fluctuations of earnings, assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than its functional currency. The objective of these activities is to reduce the Company’s exposure to gains and losses resulting from fluctuations of foreign currencies against its functional currencies.
	The Company does not designate foreign currency derivatives as hedging instruments pursuant to the accounting guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities. The Company records the change in the estimated fair value of the outstanding derivatives at the end of the reporting period on its consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statement of operations.
	As of March 31, 2015, the majority of derivative contracts to hedge foreign currency fluctuations had been entered into with customers of MasterCard. MasterCard’s derivative contracts are summarized below:
		March 31, 2015					December 31, 2014
		Notional		Estimated Fair			Notional		Estimated Fair
				Value					Value
		(in millions)
	Commitments to purchase foreign currency	$	132	$	8		$	47	$	4
	Commitments to sell foreign currency	846		43			614		27
	Balance sheet location:
	Accounts receivable 1			$	58				$	35
	Other current liabilities 1			(7		)			(4		)
	1 The fair values of derivative contracts are presented on a gross basis on the balance sheet and are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements, which contain various netting and setoff provisions.
	The amount of gain (loss) recognized in income for the contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency is summarized below:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Foreign currency derivative contracts
	General and administrative	$	33	$	(4	)
	The fair value of the foreign currency forward contracts generally reflects the estimated amounts that the Company would receive (or pay), on a pre-tax basis, to terminate the contracts at the reporting date based on broker quotes for the same or similar instruments. The terms of the foreign currency forward contracts are generally less than 18 months. The Company had no deferred gains or losses related to foreign exchange contracts in accumulated other comprehensive income as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, as there were no derivative contracts accounted for under hedge accounting.
	The Company’s derivative financial instruments are subject to both market and counterparty credit risk. Market risk is the risk of loss due to the potential change in an instrument’s value caused by fluctuations in interest rates and other variables related to currency exchange rates. The effect of a hypothetical 10% adverse change in foreign currency rates could result in a fair value loss of approximately $94 million on the Company’s foreign currency derivative contracts outstanding at March 31, 2015 related to the hedging program. Counterparty credit risk is the risk of loss due to failure of the counterparty to perform its obligations in accordance with contractual terms. To mitigate counterparty credit risk, the Company enters into derivative contracts with selected financial institutions based upon their credit ratings and other factors. Generally, the Company does not obtain collateral related to derivatives because of the high credit ratings of the counterparties.

Subsequent_Event_Notes

Subsequent Event (Notes)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Event	Subsequent Event
	On April 23, 2015, MasterCard entered into an agreement to acquire a data analytics business for $600 million (subject to customary purchase price adjustments).  Subject to satisfying certain conditions, including expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, the transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2015.

Summary_of_Significant_Account1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization	Organization
	MasterCard Incorporated and its consolidated subsidiaries, including MasterCard International Incorporated (“MasterCard International” and together with MasterCard Incorporated, “MasterCard” or the “Company”), is a technology company in the global payments industry that connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses worldwide, enabling them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash and checks. The Company facilitates the processing of payment transactions including authorization, clearing and settlement, and delivers related products and services. The Company makes payments easier and more efficient by creating a wide range of payment solutions and services through a family of well-known brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®. The Company also provides value-added offerings such as loyalty and reward programs, information services and consulting. The Company’s network is designed to ensure safety and security for the global payments system. A typical transaction on the Company’s network involves four participants in addition to the Company: cardholder, merchant, issuer (the cardholder’s financial institution) and acquirer (the merchant’s financial institution). The Company’s customers encompass a vast array of entities, including financial institutions and other entities that act as “issuers” and “acquirers”, as well as merchants, governments, telecommunication companies and other businesses. The Company does not issue cards, extend credit, determine or receive revenue from interest rates or other fees charged to cardholders by issuers, or establish the rates charged by acquirers in connection with merchants’ acceptance of the Company’s branded cards.
Consolidation and basis of presentation	Consolidation and basis of presentation
	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MasterCard and its majority-owned and controlled entities, including any variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, there were no VIEs which required consolidation. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2015 presentation. In addition, for the three months ended March 31, 2014, contra revenue and general and administrative expenses were revised to correctly classify $5 million of customer incentive expenses as contra revenue instead of general and administrative expenses. This revision had no impact on net income. The Company follows accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
	The balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2014. The consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 and as of March 31, 2015 are unaudited, and in the opinion of management, include all normal recurring adjustments that are necessary to present fairly the results for interim periods. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
	The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and, consequently, do not include all of the disclosures required by GAAP. Reference should be made to the MasterCard Incorporated Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for additional disclosures, including a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies.
	Non-controlling interest amounts are included in the consolidated statement of operations within other income (expense). For the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 activity from non-controlling interests was insignificant.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent accounting pronouncements
	Debt Issuance Costs - In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued accounting guidance that will change the current presentation of debt issuance costs on the balance sheet. This new guidance will move debt issuance costs from the assets section of the balance sheet to the liabilities section as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt issued. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.
	Consolidation - In February 2015, the FASB issued accounting guidance that amends current consolidation guidance. The amendments affect both the VIE and voting interest entity consolidation models and may change previous consolidation conclusions. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.
	Revenue Recognition - In May 2014, the FASB issued accounting guidance that provides a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers and supersedes most of the existing revenue recognition requirements. Under this guidance, an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is not permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the potential effects of this guidance.

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share	The components of basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) for common stock were as follows:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions, except per share data)
	Numerator:
	Net income	$	1,020	$	870
	Denominator:
	Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	1,148		1,185
	Dilutive stock options and stock units	4		4
	Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 1	1,152		1,189
	Earnings per Share:
	Basic	$	0.89	$	0.73
	Diluted	$	0.89	$	0.73
	1 For the periods presented, the calculation of diluted EPS excluded a minimal amount of anti-dilutive share-based payment awards.

Fair_Value_and_Investment_Secu

Fair Value and Investment Securities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Marketable Securities [Abstract]
Distribution of Financial Instruments, Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis	The distribution of the Company’s financial instruments which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis within the Valuation Hierarchy was as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant			Fair
		in Active		Other		Unobservable			Value
		Markets		Observable		Inputs
		(Level 1) 1		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 2)
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	—	$	120	$	—		$	120
	U.S. government and agency securities 2	101		114		—			215
	Corporate securities	—		1,031		—			1,031
	Asset-backed securities	—		168		—			168
	Other	7		99		—			106
	Total	$	108	$	1,532	$	—		$	1,640
		December 31, 2014
		Quoted Prices		Significant		Significant			Fair
		in Active		Other		Unobservable			Value
		Markets		Observable		Inputs
		(Level 1) 1		Inputs		(Level 3)
				(Level 2)
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	—	$	135	$	—		$	135
	U.S. government and agency securities 2	85		114		—			199
	Corporate securities	—		618		—			618
	Asset-backed securities	—		178		—			178
	Other	13		56		—			69
	Total	$	98	$	1,101	$	—		$	1,199
	1 During 2015, U.S. government securities were reclassified from Level 2 to Level 1 due to a reassessment of the availability of quoted prices. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the 2015 presentation.
	2 Excludes amounts held in escrow related to the U.S. merchant class litigation settlement of $540 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, which would be included in Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy. See Note 6 (Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation) and Note 11 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further details.
Available-for-Sale Investment Securities, Unrealized Gains and Losses	The major classes of the Company’s available-for-sale investment securities, for which unrealized gains and losses are recorded as a separate component of other comprehensive income on the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, and their respective amortized cost basis and fair values as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:
		March 31, 2015
		Amortized		Gross		Gross			Fair
		Cost		Unrealized		Unrealized			Value
				Gain		Loss
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	120	$	—	$	—		$	120
	U.S. government and agency securities	215		—		—			215
	Corporate securities	1,031		1		(1		)	1,031
	Asset-backed securities	168		—		—			168
	Other	64		1		(10		)	55
	Total	$	1,598	$	2	$	(11	)	$	1,589
		December 31, 2014
		Amortized		Gross		Gross			Fair
		Cost		Unrealized		Unrealized			Value
				Gain		Loss
		(in millions)
	Municipal securities	$	135	$	—	$	—		$	135
	U.S. government and agency securities	199		—		—			199
	Corporate securities	619		—		(1		)	618
	Asset-backed securities	178		—		—			178
	Other	41		1		(4		)	38
	Total	$	1,172	$	1	$	(5	)	$	1,168
Maturity Distribution Based on Contractual Terms of Investment Securities	The maturity distribution based on the contractual terms of the Company’s investment securities at March 31, 2015 was as follows:
		Available-For-Sale
		Amortized		Fair Value
		Cost
		(in millions)
	Due within 1 year	$	591	$	591
	Due after 1 year through 5 years	970		970
	Due after 5 years through 10 years	6		6
	Due after 10 years	15		15
	No contractual maturity 1	16		7
	Total	$	1,598	$	1,589

Prepaid_Expenses_and_Other_Ass1

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets	Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	328	$	260
	Prepaid income taxes	44		237
	Other	272		244
	Total prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	644	$	741
Schedule of Other Assets, Noncurrent	Other assets consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	641	$	556
	Nonmarketable equity investments	242		245
	Prepaid income taxes	362		407
	Income taxes receivable	153		89
	Other	92		88
	Total other assets	$	1,490	$	1,385

Accrued_Expenses_and_Accrued_L

Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Accrued Expenses	Accrued expenses consisted of the following:
		March 31,		December 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Customer and merchant incentives	$	1,497	$	1,433
	Personnel costs	271		531
	Advertising	77		154
	Income and other taxes	137		105
	Other	187		216
	Total accrued expenses	$	2,169	$	2,439

Stockholders_Equity_Tables

Stockholders' Equity (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Equity [Abstract]
Schedule of share repurchases and authorizations	The following table summarizes the Company’s share repurchase authorizations of its Class A common stock through March 31, 2015, as well as historical purchases:
		Authorization Dates
		Dec-14		December		February		Total
				2013		2013
		(in millions, except average price data)
	Board authorization	$	3,750	$	3,500	$	2,000	$	9,250
	Dollar value of shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2014	$	—	$	1,508	$	161	$	1,669
	Remaining authorization at December 31, 2014	$	3,750	$	275	$	—	$	4,025
	Dollar value of shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2015	$	672	$	275	$	—	$	947
	Remaining authorization at March 31, 2015	$	3,078	$	—	$	—	$	3,078
	Shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2014	—		19.4		1.9		21.3
	Average price paid per share during the three months ended March 31, 2014	$	—	$	77.7	$	83.22	$	78.2
	Shares repurchased during the three months ended March 31, 2015	7.8		3.2		—		11
	Average price paid per share during the three months ended March 31, 2015	$	87.17	$	84.31	$	—	$	86.32
	Cumulative shares repurchased through March 31, 2015	7.8		45.8		31.1		84.7
	Cumulative average price paid per share	$	87.17	$	76.42	$	64.26	$	72.93

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv1

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	The changes in the balances of each component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were as follows:
		Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans			Investment Securities Available-for-Sale			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
		(in millions)
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	206		$	(29	)	$	1		$	178
	Current period other comprehensive income (loss) 1	(1		)	1			2			2
	Balance at March 31, 2014	$	205		$	(28	)	$	3		$	180
	Balance at December 31, 2014	$	(230	)	$	(26	)	$	(4	)	$	(260	)
	Current period other comprehensive income (loss) 1, 2	(375		)	1			(5		)	(379		)
	Balance at March 31, 2015	$	(605	)	$	(25	)	$	(9	)	$	(639	)
	1 During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, insignificant deferred costs related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and insignificant gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to general and administrative expenses and investment income, respectively.
	2 During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the increase in other comprehensive loss related to foreign currency translation adjustments was driven by the devaluation of the Euro.

ShareBased_Payments_Awards_Gra

Share-Based Payments Awards Granted (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Aggregate Disclosures [Abstract]
Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company granted the following awards under the MasterCard Incorporated 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (“LTIP”). The LTIP is a shareholder-approved omnibus plan that permits the grant of various types of equity awards to employees.
		Granted in 2015	Weighted-Average
			Grant-Date
			Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Non-qualified stock options	1,618	$17
	Restricted stock units	1,166	$88
	Performance stock units	130	$99

Settlement_and_Other_Risk_Mana1

Settlement and Other Risk Management (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Settlement and Other Risk Management [Abstract]
Estimated Settlement Exposure and Portion of Uncollateralized Settlement Exposure for MasterCard-Branded Transactions	The Company’s estimated settlement exposure from MasterCard, Cirrus and Maestro branded transactions was as follows:
		March 31,			December 31,
		2015			2014
		(in millions)
	Gross settlement exposure	$	37,257		$	41,729
	Collateral held for settlement exposure	(3,517		)	(3,415		)
	Net uncollateralized settlement exposure	$	33,740		$	38,314

Foreign_Exchange_Risk_Manageme1

Foreign Exchange Risk Management (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Foreign Currency Derivatives [Abstract]
Derivative contract summary	MasterCard’s derivative contracts are summarized below:
		March 31, 2015					December 31, 2014
		Notional		Estimated Fair			Notional		Estimated Fair
				Value					Value
		(in millions)
	Commitments to purchase foreign currency	$	132	$	8		$	47	$	4
	Commitments to sell foreign currency	846		43			614		27
	Balance sheet location:
	Accounts receivable 1			$	58				$	35
	Other current liabilities 1			(7		)			(4		)
	1 The fair values of derivative contracts are presented on a gross basis on the balance sheet and are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements, which contain various netting and setoff provisions.
Gain (loss) recognized in income for the contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency summary	The amount of gain (loss) recognized in income for the contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency is summarized below:
		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2015		2014
		(in millions)
	Foreign currency derivative contracts
	General and administrative	$	33	$	(4	)

Summary_of_Significant_Account2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Amount of customer incentive expenses revised to be presented as contra revenue instead of general and administrative expenses	$5

Acquisitions_Details

Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	15 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015
	business	business	business
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business combinations that were achieved in stages, with non-controlling interests acquired in previous years		2
Number of Businesses Acquired	1	2	8
Total consideration transferred	$13	$224	$575
Goodwill, Acquired During Period				$537

Earnings_Per_Share_Schedule_of

Earnings Per Share Schedule of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Numerator:
Net income	$1,020		$870
Denominator:
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	1,148		1,185
Dilutive stock options and stock units	4		4
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	1,152	[1]	1,189	[1]
Earnings per Share:
Basic	$0.89		$0.73
Diluted	$0.89		$0.73
[1]	For the periods presented, the calculation of diluted EPS excluded a minimal amount of anti-dilutive share-based payment awards.

Fair_Value_and_Investment_Secu1

Fair Value and Investment Securities Narrative (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Financial Instruments, Financial Liabilities, Balance Sheet Groupings [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$1,600	$1,500
Long-term Debt, Carrying Value	1,495	1,494
Restricted cash for litigation settlement	$540	$540

Fair_Value_and_Investment_Secu2

Fair Value and Investment Securities Distribution of Financial Instruments, Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Amounts held in escrow for the preliminary U.S. merchant class litigation settlement	$540		$540
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	1,640		1,199
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	108	[1]	98	[1]
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	1,532		1,101
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0		0
Municipal securities
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	120		135
Municipal securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0	[1]	0	[1]
Municipal securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	120		135
Municipal securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0		0
U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	215	[2]	199	[2]
U.S. government and agency securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	101	[1],[2]	85	[1],[2]
U.S. government and agency securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	114	[2]	114	[2]
U.S. government and agency securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0	[2]	0	[2]
Corporate securities
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	1,031		618
Corporate securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0	[1]	0	[1]
Corporate securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	1,031		618
Corporate securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0		0
Asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	168		178
Asset-backed securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0	[1]	0	[1]
Asset-backed securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	168		178
Asset-backed securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	0		0
Other
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	106		69
Other | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	7	[1]	13	[1]
Other | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	99		56
Other | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Option, Quantitative Disclosures
Fair Value, Measured on Recurring Basis	$0		$0
[1]	During 2015, U.S. government securities were reclassified from Level 2 to Level 1 due to a reassessment of the availability of quoted prices. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the 2015 presentation.
[2]	Excludes amounts held in escrow related to the U.S. merchant class litigation settlement of $540 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, which would be included in Level 1 of the Valuation Hierarchy. See Note 6 (Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation) and Note 11 (Legal and Regulatory Proceedings) for further details.

Fair_Value_and_Investment_Secu3

Fair Value and Investment Securities Available-for-Sale Investment Securities, Unrealized Gains and Losses (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	$1,598	$1,172
Gross Unrealized Gain	2	1
Gross Unrealized Loss	-11	-5
Fair Value	1,589	1,168
Municipal securities
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	120	135
Gross Unrealized Gain	0	0
Gross Unrealized Loss	0	0
Fair Value	120	135
U.S. government and agency securities
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	215	199
Gross Unrealized Gain	0	0
Gross Unrealized Loss	0	0
Fair Value	215	199
Corporate securities
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	1,031	619
Gross Unrealized Gain	1	0
Gross Unrealized Loss	-1	-1
Fair Value	1,031	618
Asset-backed securities
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	168	178
Gross Unrealized Gain	0	0
Gross Unrealized Loss	0	0
Fair Value	168	178
Other
Investment Identifier
Amortized Cost	64	41
Gross Unrealized Gain	1	1
Gross Unrealized Loss	-10	-4
Fair Value	$55	$38

Fair_Value_and_Investment_Secu4

Fair Value and Investment Securities Maturity Distribution Based on Contractual Terms of Investment Securities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Available-For-Sale Amortized Cost
Due within 1 year	$591
Due after 1 year through 5 years	970
Due after 5 years through 10 years	6
Due after 10 years	15
No contractual maturity	16	[1]
Total	1,598
Available-For-Sale Fair Value
Due within 1 year	591
Due after 1 year through 5 years	970
Due after 5 years through 10 years	6
Due after 10 years	15
No contractual maturity	7	[1]
Total	$1,589
[1]	Equity securities have been included in the No contractual maturity category, as these securities do not have stated maturity dates.

Prepaid_Expenses_and_Other_Ass2

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets Schedule of Prepaid Expenses (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Customer and merchant incentives	$328	$260
Prepaid income taxes	44	237
Other	272	244
Total prepaid expenses and other current assets	$644	$741

Prepaid_Expenses_and_Other_Ass3

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets Schedule of Other Assets (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Customer and merchant incentives	$641	$556
Nonmarketable equity investments	242	245
Prepaid income taxes	362	407
Income taxes receivable	153	89
Other	92	88
Total other assets	$1,490	$1,385

Accrued_Expenses_Details

Accrued Expenses (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Customer and merchant incentives	$1,497	$1,433
Personnel costs	271	531
Advertising	77	154
Income and other taxes	137	105
Other	187	216
Total accrued expenses	$2,169	$2,439

Accrued_Expenses_and_Accrued_L1

Accrued Expenses and Accrued Litigation Accrued Expenses (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015
Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Severance charge	$87
Accrued severance charge included in personnel costs	$84	$68

Accrued_Litigation_Expense_Det

Accrued Litigation Expense (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accrued Liabilities, Current [Abstract]
Provision related to U.S. merchant litigations	$731	$771

Stockholders_Equity_Details

Stockholders' Equity (Details) (Class A Common Stock, USD $)	3 Months Ended		26 Months Ended	16 Months Ended	4 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2012	Feb. 28, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Class of Stock
Board authorization	$9,250		$9,250	$9,250	$9,250
Dollar value of shares repurchased during period	947	1,669
Remaining authorization	3,078		3,078	3,078	3,078	4,025
Average price paid per share	$86.32	$78.20	$72.93
Shares repurchased during period	11	21.3	84.7
2012 Repurchase Plan
Class of Stock
Board authorization							1,500
February 2013 Share Repurchase Plan
Class of Stock
Board authorization								2,000
Dollar value of shares repurchased during period	0	161
Remaining authorization	0		0	0	0	0
Average price paid per share	$0	$83.22	$64.26
Shares repurchased during period	0	1.9	31.1
December 2013 Share Repurchase Plan
Class of Stock
Board authorization									3,500
Dollar value of shares repurchased during period	275	1,508
Remaining authorization	0		0	0	0	275
Average price paid per share	$84.31	$77.70		$76.42
Shares repurchased during period	3.2	19.4		45.8
December 2014 Share Repurchase Plan
Class of Stock
Board authorization						3,750
Dollar value of shares repurchased during period	672	0
Remaining authorization	$3,078		$3,078	$3,078	$3,078	$3,750
Average price paid per share	$87.17	$0			$87.17
Shares repurchased during period	7.8	0			7.8

Accumulated_Other_Comprehensiv2

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Beginning Balance, Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments	($230)		$206
Beginning Balance, Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans	-26		-29
Beginning Balance, Investment Securities Available-for-Sale	-4		1
Beginning Balance, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	-260		178
Current period other comprehensive income (loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments	-375	[1],[2]	-1	[1]
Current period other comprehensive income (loss), Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans	1	[1],[2]	1	[1]
Current period other comprehensive income (loss), Investment Securities Available-for-Sale	-5	[1],[2]	2	[1]
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	-379	[1],[2]	2	[1]
Ending Balance, Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments	-605		205
Ending Balance, Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans	-25		-28
Ending Balance, Investment Securities Available-for-Sale	-9		3
Ending Balance, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	($639)		$180
[1]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, insignificant deferred costs related to the Company’s defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans and insignificant gains and losses on available-for-sale investment securities were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to general and administrative expenses and investment income, respectively.
[2]	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the increase in other comprehensive loss related to foreign currency translation adjustments was driven by the devaluation of the Euro.

ShareBased_Payments_Narrative_

Share-Based Payments Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Share-Based Payments
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross	1,618
Fair value of stock options, per share, estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model	$17
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	5 years
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	20.60%
Non-qualified stock options
Share-Based Payments
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-based Payment Award Options Term	10 years
Stock options vested, number of annual installments	4
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	1 year
Restricted stock units
Share-Based Payments
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period	1,166
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value	$88
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years
Performance stock units
Share-Based Payments
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period	130
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value	$99
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years

Income_Taxes_Details

Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Effective income tax rate	23.90%	32.00%
Amortization Period for Deferred Charge	25 years
Prepaid taxes on intercompany profit transfer	$15		$18
Non-current prepaid taxes on intercompany profit transfer	$362		$407

Legal_and_Regulatory_Proceedin1

Legal and Regulatory Proceedings (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2011	Mar. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014
Legal And Regulatory
Restricted cash for litigation settlement		$540,000,000						$540,000,000
Accrued litigation		731,000,000						771,000,000
Event Involving Visa Parties, Member Banks and MasterCard
Legal And Regulatory
Percent of settlement MasterCard would pay	12.00%
Event Involving Member Banks and MasterCard
Legal And Regulatory
Percent of settlement MasterCard would pay	36.00%
Canadian Competition Bureau
Legal And Regulatory
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		5,000,000,000
U.S. Merchant Lawsuit Settlement
Legal And Regulatory
Provision for litigation settlement			20,000,000	770,000,000
Payments for legal settlements					790,000,000
U.S. Merchant Litigation - Class Litigation
Legal And Regulatory
Amount received from the qualified cash settlement fund						164,000,000
Payments for legal settlements					726,000,000
U.S. Merchant Litigation - Opt Out Merchants
Legal And Regulatory
Provision for litigation settlement							95,000,000
Minimum | U.S. Merchant Litigation - Class Litigation
Legal And Regulatory
Approximate percentage of merchants that opted out of settlement		25.00%
Legal proceeding complaints from merchants that have opted out of settlement		30
United Kingdom Cross-border Interchange and Domestic Interchange
Legal And Regulatory
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs		13
United Kingdom Cross-border Interchange and Domestic Interchange | Minimum
Legal And Regulatory
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs		20
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value		$2,000,000,000

Settlement_and_Other_Risk_Mana2

Settlement and Other Risk Management Estimated Settlement Exposure and Portion of Uncollateralized Settlement Exposure for MasterCard-Branded Transactions (Details) (Guarantee Obligations, USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Guarantee Obligations
Risks Inherent in Servicing Assets and Servicing Liabilities
Gross settlement exposure	$37,257	$41,729
Collateral held for settlement exposure	-3,517	-3,415
Net uncollateralized settlement exposure	$33,740	$38,314

Settlement_and_Other_Risk_Mana3

Settlement and Other Risk Management Narrative (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Settlement and Other Risk Management [Abstract]
Travelers cheques outstanding, notional value	$448	$465
Travelers cheques covered by collateral arrangements	$355	$370

Foreign_Exchange_Risk_Manageme2

Foreign Exchange Risk Management Classification of Outstanding Forward Contracts (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Accounts receivable
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Forward contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency - Balance sheet location - Accounts receivable	$58	[1]	$35	[1]
Other current liabilities
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Forward contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency - Balance sheet location - Other current liabilities	-7	[1]	-4	[1]
Commitments to purchase foreign currency | Foreign Exchange Forward
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Commitments to purchase/sell foreign currency, Notional	132		47
Commitments to purchase/sell foreign currency, Estimated Fair Value	8		4
Commitments to sell foreign currency | Foreign Exchange Forward
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Commitments to purchase/sell foreign currency, Notional	846		614
Commitments to purchase/sell foreign currency, Estimated Fair Value	$43		$27
[1]	The fair values of derivative contracts are presented on a gross basis on the balance sheet and are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements, which contain various netting and setoff provisions.

Foreign_Exchange_Risk_Manageme3

Foreign Exchange Risk Management (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Terms of the foreign currency forward contracts and foreign currency option contracts	18 months
Foreign currency derivative contracts
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Approximate effect of 10% adverse change in foreign currency rates on fair value loss	$94
General and administrative | Foreign currency derivative contracts
Foreign Exchange Risk Management
Gain (loss) for contracts to purchase and sell foreign currency	$33	($4)

Subsequent_Event_Details

Subsequent Event (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015
Subsequent Event
Acquisition agreement amount	$13	$224	$575
Scenario, Forecast
Subsequent Event
Acquisition agreement amount				$600