Mastercard has introduced the Transaction Link ID (TLID), a unique identifier designed to tie together authorization and clearing messages for individual transactions. It functions similarly to the existing Network Transaction Reference.
Note: The implementation of the TLID does not replace the NTID. Both identifiers will continue to operate in parallel with no anticipated changes to how the NTID functions.
Transaction Link ID Format
Every Transaction Link ID generated by Mastercard adheres to strict formatting rules:
- Length: Exactly 22 characters
- Characters: Alphanumeric (
A-Z,a-z) and case-sensitive - Special Characters: Can include hyphens (
-) and underscores (_)
Examples of valid TLIDs:
xN8_kL2-pQ5rT9wB1_vHjMY3mV_7rX-8tBcq2pLm4Nj9K
Compliance Timeline
Mastercard requires all acquirers and merchants to capture and pass TLIDs for specific transaction types. The mandate rolls out in two phases:
| Effective Date | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 2 June 2026 | Capture and Retain: Merchants and acquirers must begin saving the TLID for Account Status Enquiry (ASI) requests and Cardholder-Initiated Transactions (CITs) where card credentials are stored for future billing. |
| 23 October 2026 | Transmit on Subsequent Charges: When processing Merchant-Initiated Transactions (MITs), you must pass the originally retained TLID (from the initial CIT or ASI) to identify it as the "economically related TLID." |
How Xendit Handles TLIDs
To minimize the integration effort for your business, Xendit automatically manages the retention and transmission of Mastercard TLIDs on your behalf. For merchants leveraging the Full PAN integration, merchants will have to store and send the TLID in themselves.
- Automated Storage: Xendit securely stores the TLID for all merchants whenever it is provided by Mastercard.
- Streamlined MITs: If the original CIT was processed through Xendit, we will automatically populate the economically related TLID on all future MITs linked to that saved card.
- Handling Pre-Mandate Cards: For original CITs that took place before 2 June 2026, Xendit follows Mastercard’s recommended fallback process. We will capture and store the TLID from the earliest authorized MIT processed after 2 June 2026, and use that value for all subsequent MITs.