1.0.0.3 true Statement Of Financial Position Classified (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 false 2 $ false false iso4217_USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 2 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 3 2 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 2055439000 2055439 false false 2 true true 1505160000 1505160 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 4 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 5 2 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 824345000 824345 false false 2 false true 588095000 588095 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 2 us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 154000000 154000 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 2 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 536472000 536472 false false 2 false true 639482000 639482 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 2 us-gaap_IncomeTaxesReceivable us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 198308000 198308 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 2 ma_SettlementDueFromCustomers ma false debit instant monetary Amounts due from customers due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 459173000 459173 false false 2 false true 513191000 513191 false false Amounts due from customers due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement. No authoritative reference available. false 10 2 us-gaap_DepositsAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 445989000 445989 false false 2 false true 183245000 183245 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 2 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 313253000 313253 false false 2 false true 213612000 213612 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 2 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 243561000 243561 false false 2 false true 283795000 283795 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 2 us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 124915000 124915 false false 2 false true 32619000 32619 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 2 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5003147000 5003147 false false 2 false true 4311507000 4311507 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 15 2 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 448994000 448994 false false 2 false true 306798000 306798 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 2 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 264237000 264237 false false 2 false true 567567000 567567 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 2 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 309228000 309228 false false 2 false true 297993000 297993 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 2 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 414704000 414704 false false 2 false true 394282000 394282 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 2 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 179987000 179987 false false 2 false true 191760000 191760 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 2 us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 337797000 337797 false false 2 false true 37450000 37450 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 2 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 327884000 327884 false false 2 false true 302095000 302095 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 2 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 184301000 184301 false false 2 false true 66397000 66397 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 2 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7470279000 7470279 false false 2 false true 6475849000 6475849 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 24 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 25 2 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 290414000 290414 false false 2 false true 253276000 253276 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 2 ma_SettlementDueToCustomers ma false credit instant monetary Amounts due to customers due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 477576000 477576 false false 2 false true 541303000 541303 false false Amounts due to customers due to the difference in timing between the payment transaction date and subsequent settlement. No authoritative reference available. false 27 2 us-gaap_CustomerDepositsCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 445989000 445989 false false 2 false true 183245000 183245 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 2 us-gaap_LitigationReserveCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 606485000 606485 false false 2 false true 713035000 713035 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 2 us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1224991000 1224991 false false 2 false true 1032061000 1032061 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 2 us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 149380000 149380 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 2 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 121676000 121676 false false 2 false true 118151000 118151 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 2 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3167131000 3167131 false false 2 false true 2990451000 2990451 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 33 2 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 79728000 79728 false false 2 false true 74518000 74518 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 2 us-gaap_LitigationReserveNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 263236000 263236 false false 2 false true 1023263000 1023263 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 2 us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 21598000 21598 false false 2 false true 19387000 19387 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 2 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 426719000 426719 false false 2 false true 436255000 436255 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 2 us-gaap_Liabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3958412000 3958412 false false 2 false true 4543874000 4543874 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 39 2 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3412354000 3412354 false false 2 false true 3304604000 3304604 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 40 2 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -1250000000 -1250000 false false 2 false true -1250000000 -1250000 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 2 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1147714000 1147714 false false 2 false true -236100000 -236100 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 42 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 43 2 ma_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustment ma false credit instant monetary Accumulated adjustment that results from the process of translating subsidiary financial statements and foreign equity... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 211860000 211860 false false 2 false true 175040000 175040 false false Accumulated adjustment that results from the process of translating subsidiary financial statements and foreign equity investments into the reporting currency from the functional currency of the reporting entity, net of reclassification of realized foreign currency translation gains (losses). No authoritative reference available. false 44 2 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDefinedBenefitPensionAndOtherPostretirementPlansNetOfTax us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -14740000 -14740 false false 2 false true -43207000 -43207 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 45 2 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -3442000 -3442 false false 2 false true -22996000 -22996 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 46 2 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 193678000 193678 false false 2 false true 108837000 108837 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 47 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3503760000 3503760 false false 2 false true 1927355000 1927355 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 48 2 us-gaap_MinorityInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8107000 8107 false false 2 false true 4620000 4620 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 49 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3511867000 3511867 false false 2 false true 1931975000 1931975 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 51 2 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7470279000 7470279 false false 2 false true 6475849000 6475849 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 52 0 na true na na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 93 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 101 2 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 0 0 false false 2 true true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 2 52 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true