Mastercard to Cut Jobs After Strategic Review, 4% of Global Workforce Affected

Mastercard said it will reduce its global workforce by about 4% following a strategic review of its business operations, according to comments made by the company’s chief financial officer during an earnings call.

Mastercard operates in more than 200 countries and territories and provides payment processing and related services to banks, merchants, governments, and consumers. 

Sachin Mehra, Mastercard’s Chief Financial Officer, told analysts that the decision followed a review of the company’s operations and cost structure. 

Based on Mastercard’s most recently reported workforce data, the payments company had approximately 35,300 full-time employees globally at the end of 2024. A reduction of about 4% would translate to more than 1,400 positions, although the company has not confirmed an absolute figure.

The company said additional details would be reflected in its upcoming financial disclosures. The comments were first reported by Reuters, which said the job cuts would affect roughly 4% of Mastercard’s full-time employees. The company did not disclose how many roles would be impacted in absolute terms, nor did it provide details on which regions or functions would be affected.

Strategic Review and Financial Context

The workforce reduction follows a strategic review of Mastercard’s business that assessed operating priorities and cost structures across the company. During the earnings call, Mehra said the outcome of the review would result in a one-time restructuring charge to be recorded in the first quarter of 2026.

“Based on the recent strategic review of our business, we expect to record a one-time restructuring charge in Q1 of approximately $200 million,” Mehra said on the call.

Mastercard did not provide a detailed breakdown of the restructuring costs or specify how much of the charge would be directly linked to employee-related expenses.

The announcement came alongside Mastercard’s fourth-quarter and full-year financial results, which showed continued growth in revenue and transaction volumes. For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, the company reported net revenue of $8.81 billion, exceeding analyst expectations. Adjusted earnings for the quarter stood at $4.76 per share, above consensus estimates compiled by LSEG.

Mastercard also reported that gross dollar volume, which measures the total value of transactions processed across its network, increased 7% year over year. Cross-border transaction volume, a key revenue driver for global payments companies, rose 14%, supported by sustained spending in travel and leisure categories.

For the full year, Mastercard posted revenue growth driven by consumer spending trends and higher cross-border activity. Company executives said the strategic review was conducted alongside ongoing investments in technology, cybersecurity, and payment services.

Despite the positive earnings performance, Mastercard said the review led to decisions on cost adjustments, including changes to staffing levels. 

Workforce Actions Across Major Payments and Technology Firms

Mastercard’s announcement comes amid workforce reductions reported by several large multinational companies across technology, finance, and energy sectors. In recent months, several firms have disclosed job cuts alongside earnings announcements or following internal business reviews.

Energy major BP, for example, said in 2025 that it would reduce its workforce by more than 5% as part of a cost-reduction plan. In the financial services sector, HSBC disclosed that the closure of one of its digital payment applications could put approximately 400 roles at risk.

Within the payments industry, companies have continued to report growth in transaction volumes even as they adjust operating expenses. Mastercard’s latest results showed increases across both domestic and cross-border payments, indicating sustained consumer spending activity.

Company leadership said the review resulted in decisions to reduce roles in certain areas while continuing investment in others. No further details were provided on how resources would be reallocated following the cuts. 

Michael Miebach, Chief Executive Officer, said during the earnings discussion that the review examined how the company is organized to support its current business activities. Mastercard did not announce any changes to its long-term financial outlook at the time of the workforce announcement.