Preview only
This is a preview of functionality that is not yet released, and is therefore subject to change.

Estimated availability: Q4 2026

# Mastercard Transaction Link Identifier (TLID)

Mastercard has introduced a new Transaction Link Identifier (TLID) to improve both:

- the linking of lifecycle messages within the context of a single payment
- the linking of multiple individual payments that are economically linked (for example, distinct payments in a subscription series)


A TLID is generated by Mastercard for every transaction, and returned to you by Worldpay in your authorization response. The TLID value is then used in all subsequent lifecycle messages for the transaction, as well as to link one transaction to another in the case of linking merchant-initiated transactions (MITs) to the original customer-initiated transaction (CIT).

The TLID will ultimately replace Mastercard's existing reference (Trace ID), but both will be used in parallel for some time.

Format: `^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{22}$`

Examples: `aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03`, `3Xf-2aM5NMa02vKdrPSC20`

## Changes required

If you process [merchant-initiated transactions (MITs)](/products/card-payments/openapi/other/recurring) with Access Worldpay, you must link your merchant-initiated transaction requests to your original [customer-initiated transaction (CIT)](/products/card-payments/openapi/other/authorize) using the TLID value as well as the existing Trace ID returned to you in your CIT response.

If you do not process merchant-initiated transactions (MITs) with Access Worldpay, you do not need to make any changes to your card payment authorization requests.

- We automatically apply the TLID on your behalf for all lifecycle messages that follow an initial authorization (for example, when you send a payment for settlement, or request a refund).
- No changes are required for [incremental authorizations](/products/card-payments/openapi/manage-payments/increaseauthorize).


Payment processing for card schemes other than Mastercard and Maestro remains unchanged.

## Scenarios

### Request a Mastercard MIT prior to the introduction of TLID

1. Submit an MIT request, including a `customerAgreement.schemeReference` containing the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original CIT request.
2. We return the Trace ID value for the MIT transaction in the existing `scheme.reference` field.
3. You continue to use the same Trace ID value returned in the original CIT response for all subsequent MITs in `customerAgreement.schemeReference`.


Example request:


```json
{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "schemeReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
```

Example response:


```json
{
  "scheme": {
    "reference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
  }
}
```

### Request an MIT where you do not have a TLID from the original CIT

1. Submit an MIT request, including a `customerAgreement.schemeReference` containing the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original CIT request.
2. We return the TLID for the MIT transaction in the existing `scheme.reference` field, and a `scheme.supplementaryReference` containing the Trace ID value for the MIT transaction.
3. You use the TLID in any future MITs you make in this series along with the Trace ID value returned in the response to your original CIT request.


Example request:


```json
{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "schemeReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
```

Example response:


```json
{
  "scheme": {
    "reference": "aF3Yf6Ti94aG9vT-ctx0A2",
    "supplementaryReference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
  }
}
```

For future payments in this MIT series, you use a `schemeReference` value of `aF3Yf6Ti94aG9vT-ctx0A2` in all subsequent requests, along with a `supplementaryReference` using the Trace ID value that you already have on file, which in the example above is `MCCOLXT1C0104  `.

### Request an MIT where you have a TLID from the original CIT

1. Submit an MIT request including the TLID value within `customerAgreement.schemeReference` and the Trace ID within `customerAgreement.supplementaryReference`.
2. We return the TLID for this transaction in the existing `scheme.reference` field.
3. You continue to use the original TLID and Trace ID in any future MITs you make in this series.


Example request:


```json
{
  "customerAgreement": {
    "type": "subscription",
    "schemeReference": "aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03",
    "supplementaryReference": "MCCOLXT1C0104  "
  }
}
```

Example response:


```json
{
  "scheme": {
    "reference": "aF3Yf6Ti94aG9vT-ctx0A2",
    "supplementaryReference": "MCCX4BX9R0128  "
  }
}
```

For future payments in this MIT series, you continue to use the `schemeReference` value of `aRyU-3Ti981f_6WvBaqM03` in all subsequent requests, along with a `supplementaryReference` using the Trace ID value that you already have on file, which in the example above is `MCCOLXT1C0104  `.

## Testing

The scenarios above can be tested in our Try environment. Contact your Relationship Manager to enable TLID in our Try environment.