Mastercard today unveiled On-Demand Decisioning (ODD), a groundbreaking solution that gives financial institutions greater control and agility in the way they manage authorization decisions.
ODD is the first offering of its kind that allows an issuer to define decisioning criteria directly on the Mastercard network, unlocking opportunities to optimize performance, tailor consumer experiences, and strengthen overall transaction outcomes.
At its core, ODD represents a shift away from rigid, one-size-fits-all processes toward a flexible and intelligent decisioning framework. By harnessing a fully customizable rules engine, the solution enables financial institutions to automate and enforce their unique business logic and policies. This capability allows for instant approvals or declines on the institution’s behalf, ensuring that every decision aligns with the issuer’s strategy for customer engagement and risk management.
A New Approach to Authorization
Traditionally, financial institutions have had to balance fraud prevention, customer experience, and operational efficiency using limited tools. Declines often result from conservative default rules, card reissuance, or gaps in communication between networks and issuers. ODD eliminates these constraints by allowing issuers to establish tailored guidelines in real time. For example, a bank can prioritize approvals for high-value customers, reduce unnecessary declines during reissuance periods, or customize responses for specific transaction types.
This level of personalization not only enhances the consumer experience but also improves issuer performance by reducing friction and unnecessary loss of revenue.
Showcased at Mastercard’s RiskX Summit
ODD was launched at Mastercard’s global RiskX summit in Rome, the company’s flagship cybersecurity and innovation conference. Attendees were introduced to the solution through real-world use cases demonstrating how issuers can take back control of their authorization strategies. Examples included the ability to approve transactions seamlessly for top-tier cardholders or to set dynamic rules that minimize disruption caused by routine card replacement.
“Security, flexibility, and reliability are table stakes for any digital experience,” said Laura Quevedo, executive vice president of Fraud & Decisioning Solutions at Mastercard. “It’s important that financial institutions can meet those needs. ODD is a great example of the ways we empower them to do just that with greater agility. It is truly a game-changer for decisioning across the industry.”
Issuer Flexibility at Scale
One of the most powerful aspects of ODD is the level of control it grants issuers. For the first time, financial institutions can determine how Mastercard should assess transactions on their behalf. They can choose whether the network responds directly using the issuer’s pre-set criteria or whether Mastercard should review and adjust the institution’s decision before passing it along to the merchant.
This dual-mode flexibility ensures issuers can maintain oversight without sacrificing efficiency. Institutions can gradually test and refine decisioning logic, knowing they retain the ability to intervene when necessary.
Early Success Stories
ODD is already being adopted by forward-thinking issuers. Porto Bank, one of the first institutions to pilot the solution, reported significant benefits.
“On-Demand Decisioning contributed to the optimization of our authorization strategy, especially by preserving the experience of high-value customers,” said Nelson Aguiar, Executive Director at Porto Bank. “The solution required no implementation effort and delivered consistent results with minimal operational risk. Mastercard’s collaborative approach and agility throughout the process were key factors in our success.”
Looking Ahead
As payments continue to evolve, consumers expect faster, more seamless, and more secure experiences. For issuers, balancing those expectations with risk management remains a constant challenge. ODD addresses this head-on by providing the tools needed to respond instantly, reduce false declines, and strengthen customer loyalty.
By embedding customizable decisioning directly within the Mastercard network, financial institutions can focus on what matters most: delivering frictionless, trusted experiences that differentiate them in a competitive marketplace.
With On-Demand Decisioning, Mastercard reinforces its commitment to driving innovation that protects consumers while empowering issuers. The launch signals a new era in transaction authorization—one where agility, personalization, and reliability come together to create smarter payments for everyone.
