Cirrus (interbank network)

{{Short description|Worldwide interbank network}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox interbank network | name = Cirrus | logo = 180px | logo_caption = Cirrus logo used since July 14, 2016 | area = Worldwide (except Russia) | foundation = {{Start date and age|1982}} | atm = 2,000,000+ | owner = Mastercard }}

'''Cirrus''' is a worldwide interbank network that provides cash to Mastercard cardholders. As a subsidiary of Mastercard, it connects all Mastercard's credit, debit, and prepaid cards, as well as ATM cards issued by various banks worldwide bearing the Mastercard/Maestro logo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://brand.mastercard.com/brandcenter/more-about-our-brands.html |title=More About Our Brands |publisher=MasterCard |access-date=January 13, 2017}}</ref>

Founded in 1982, Cirrus System, LLC was originally owned by Bank of Montreal, BayBanks Inc., First Interstate Bancorp, Mellon Bank, NBD Bancorp Inc., and Norwest Corp.<ref name="Tribune">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/09/07/mastercard-to-acquire-biggest-us-teller-system/ |title=Mastercard to Acquire Biggest U.S. Teller System |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=September 7, 1987 |access-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=MasterCard agrees to buy automatic teller network|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/09/03/MasterCard-agrees-to-buy-automatic-teller-network/4738557640000/|date=September 3, 1987|work=UPI Archives|access-date=April 18, 2026}}</ref> Cirrus was acquired by Mastercard in 1987.<ref name="Tribune" /><ref name=":0" /> Before the acquisition, Mastercard had about 9,500 ATMs in 11 countries, which was fewer than Visa; with the acquisition, Mastercard was able to keep pace.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bátiz-Lazo |first=Bernardo |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cash_and_Dash/tWhiDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT143&printsec=frontcover |title=Cash and Dash: How ATMs and Computers Changed Banking |date=2018-06-27 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-108558-1 |language=en |chapter=6.2: The Global Network}}</ref>

By default, Mastercard and Maestro cards are linked to the Cirrus network, but very often all three logotypes will be shown. Canadian, American and Saudi Arabian ATMs use this network alongside their local networks.<ref>{{cite web |title=AFFN Members Can Access Maestro AndCirrus |url=https://www.americanbanker.com/creditunions/news/affn-members-can-access-maestro-andcirrus |website=American Banker |access-date=April 18, 2026 |language=en |date=February 14, 2006}}</ref> Many banks have adopted Cirrus as their international interbank network alongside either a local one, the rival Plus ATM network owned by Visa, or both. In countries such as India and Bangladesh, the Cirrus network also serves as a local interbank network as well as an international one.

==Logo history== {{multiple image | direction = horizontal | align = right | width = 100 | image1 = Cirrus 1982 logo.svg | alt1 = Cirrus logo used from 1982 until 1992 | caption1 = Logo used from 1982 to 1992 | image2 = Cirrus 1992 logo.svg | caption2 = Logo used from 1992 to 1996 | image3 = Cirrus logo.svg | caption3 = Logo used from 1996 to July 14, 2016 }}

The first logo, advertised from 1982 until 1992, was then changed to match those representing the other subsidiaries of Mastercard, which acquired Cirrus in 1987. The only exception is the colour pattern change. This can also be noticed through the re-branding in 2016, since all the logos of Mastercard, Maestro and Cirrus have been equally modified.

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite journal |last1=Gifford |first1=David |last2=Spector |first2=Alfred |date=August 1985 |title=The Cirrus Banking Network |url=https://www.cs.tufts.edu/~nr/cs257/archive/alfred-spector/spector85cirrus.pdf |journal=Communications of the ACM |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |volume=28 |issue=8 |pages=798–807 |doi= 10.1145/4021.4022|s2cid=5916192 |access-date=October 4, 2014}}

==External links== {{Portal|Banks}} * [https://brand.mastercard.com/brandcenter/more-about-our-brands.html Mastercard Profile] * [https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/consumers/get-support/locate-an-atm.html Mastercard ATM Locator]

Category:Financial services companies established in 1982 Category:1987 mergers and acquisitions Category:Interbank networks Category:Mastercard