Mastercard has announced Mastercard Commerce Media, a new digital media network designed to deliver targeted ads across retail and digital channels. According to the platform, the new network lets brands target audiences across its channels and through bank and publisher partnerships. 

The company explained that it will use permissioned transaction data drawn from previous transactions to inform targeting and attribution. Craig Vosburg, Mastercard’s CSO, explained the move as an extension of its existing services. “We understand how to connect advertisers to consumers and consumers to the products, services and experiences they value,” he said.

The launch positions Mastercard among a growing number of companies building retail and commerce media networks, an area that eMarketer projects will reach nearly $100 billion in ad spending by 2028.

How Mastercard Commerce Media works

According to Mastercard, advertisers will be able to run campaigns that reach enrolled cardholders with tailored offers such as cashback, discounts, and promotions. Campaigns are built on Mastercard’s Offers platform, which identifies audiences using prior purchase behavior and real-time purchase signals.

For example, if a consumer has a history of booking flights, Mastercard could serve a travel-related offer that the user can activate directly on their enrolled card. Once the purchase is made, Mastercard attributes the sale back to the ad, whether the transaction happened online or in-store.

Beyond cashback incentives

The company is also extending its approach to include brand loyalty initiatives. Mastercard says publishers and advertisers can now structure programs where consumers earn rewards directly in a brand’s “cash currency.” This could mean shoppers receive value tied directly to the brand instead of only receiving generic cashback.

Integrations across Mastercard services

The company also said Mastercard Commerce Media can connect with other parts of its services portfolio. This includes personalization powered by Dynamic Yield and campaign optimization through Marketing Services.

Partnerships with Citi, WPP, Microsoft, and American Airlines

Mastercard is leaning on partnerships to build out Commerce Media. The collaboration with Citi is framed as extending scale, while the WPP partnership connects Mastercard with more traditional brand advertisers. Microsoft is also a key partner, with Mastercard saying Commerce Media will be enabled in Microsoft’s Copilot Studio to support agentic commerce experiences.

Expansion plans for distribution and reach

Mastercard says Commerce Media will continue to expand with new distribution channels, including point of sale and digital wallets, where offers can be surfaced to consumers at the moment of payment. The company also mentioned international expansion and deeper integrations with existing Mastercard solutions starting in 2026.

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