Mastercard, Inc. is an international payment card services corporation established in 1966. It provides various financial services in more than 210 countries and territories, and its branded credit cards and debit cards are accepted by more than 37 million businesses worldwide. The company is headquartered in Purchase, New York, with 33,400 employees worldwide. It became a publicly traded company in 2006. The company that would become Mastercard, Inc. was conceived in 1966 when a consortium of banks met in Buffalo, New York, at the invitation of Karl H. Hinke, a vice president at Marine Midland Bank, to discuss banding together ...(100 of 796 words) Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!