Merchant Service Fees

News about fees including interchange, scheme fees and margin

Will American Express cop more regulation?

Jan 28, 2026

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Will American Express cop more regulation?

The combination of the RBA review into card fees and the House inquiry into credit cards and digital payments have increased calls to beef up the regulation of American Express in Australia.

Merchant Service Fees

Cashflow crisis - small business faces finance double whammy on July 1

Jan 21, 2026

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Cashflow crisis - small business faces finance double whammy on July 1

There are growing calls from small business groups for delays, carve outs and more comprehensive regulatory reform as new rules for super and surcharging threaten an already precarious economic environment for the sector.

Merchant Service Fees

Credit card companies face Canberra scrutiny in early 2026 as Trump calls for US interest rate cap

Jan 14, 2026

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Credit card companies face Canberra scrutiny in early 2026 as Trump calls for US interest rate cap

As the Australian Parliament readies for its first inquiry into credit cards in over a decade, US President Donald Trump has called for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10 per cent.

Fintech

Airwallex takes on Square, PayPal, Stripe and Adyen with global omnichannel POS play

Dec 17, 2025

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Airwallex takes on Square, PayPal, Stripe and Adyen with global omnichannel POS play

Aussie-born payments outfit Airwallex is about to venture into the POS terminal market globally, with a slick new machine to take on big players like Square, PayPal, Stripe and Adyen in 2026.

Cash

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Massive year in payments but 2026 looms even larger

Dec 17, 2025

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Massive year in payments but 2026 looms even larger

There will be little rest for the payments industry this summer, as businesses, regulators and lawmakers get ready for a raft of big changes in the New Year. In the final edition of PayDay News for 2025, we look at the big changes this year, and what to expect in 2026.

Merchant Service Fees

Chargeback fees surge as AI reshapes online payments and merchants bear the cost

Dec 10, 2025

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Chargeback fees surge as AI reshapes online payments and merchants bear the cost

Bank disputes processes are giving way to automated, opaque and more expensive fintech systems, costing merchants big dollars in fees as online sales boom.

Merchant Service Fees

Banks fail to delay card review but could win on interchange

Dec 3, 2025

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Banks fail to delay card review but could win on interchange

The Reserve Bank of Australia will not bow to pressure to delay its inquiry into surcharge and card fees, but instead appears to be preparing to deliver the banks a win on interchange.

Fintech

Tyro cuts rates in Christmas deal with Visa and Mastercard

Nov 26, 2025

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Tyro cuts rates in Christmas deal with Visa and Mastercard

Tyro’s outgoing CEO Jon Davey has handed some small business customers a fee cut from next week, lowering prices just in time for Christmas.

Merchant Service Fees

Big banks urge RBA to test scheme fee regulation and broaden cards inquiry

Nov 19, 2025

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Big banks urge RBA to test scheme fee regulation and broaden cards inquiry

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) should not be deterred from regulating the scheme fees charged by Visa and Mastercard because of the possibility of litigation, according to Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn.

Merchant Service Fees

US merchants win the right to surcharge credit cards as RBA mulls ban

Nov 19, 2025

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US merchants win the right to surcharge credit cards as RBA mulls ban

In a moment of payments regulatory irony, a court settlement in the US may give merchants the right to surcharge costly rewards, premium and corporate credit cards, just as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) looks to ban the practice here.

Merchant Service Fees

Westpac confirms interchange pays for its credit card rewards

Nov 19, 2025

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Westpac confirms interchange pays for its credit card rewards

Westpac CEO, Anthony Miller told the Standing Committee on Economics yesterday that rewards are funded by interchange fees, despite the Reserve Bank ruling them an ineligible interchange cost.

Merchant Service Fees

NZ surcharge ban will create an “uneven playing field” with online excluded

Nov 12, 2025

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NZ surcharge ban will create an “uneven playing field” with online excluded

Feedback has now closed on the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill introduced to New Zealand Parliament on September 16 and groups have voiced their concerns about the impact on businesses and consumers.

Fintech

Toast set to smoulder in busy Aussie hospitality market

Nov 12, 2025

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Toast set to smoulder in busy Aussie hospitality market

The US payments giant Toast faces a bewildering array of competitors in a market primed for change with the banning of surcharges.

Fintech

Tyro locks in new CEO as suitors continue to circle

Nov 12, 2025

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Tyro locks in new CEO as suitors continue to circle

Shareholders are agitating for incoming chief Nigel Lee to realise some value for the company.

Merchant Service Fees

Velocity flies into the interchange and surcharge storm

Nov 12, 2025

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Velocity flies into the interchange and surcharge storm

While all eyes are on Qantas, Virgin Australia has fired a distress flare on the potential impact of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging – saying it could impact both revenue and Velocity cards.

Merchant Service Fees

Westpac wins ALDI acquiring ahead of surcharge ban

Nov 12, 2025

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Westpac wins ALDI acquiring ahead of surcharge ban

Westpac has won ALDI’s acquiring business, just months out from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s proposed ban on surcharging which will force the supermarket giant to rethink its payments strategy.

Merchant Service Fees

Mastercard wins right to challenge privilege ruling as ACCC case heats up

Nov 5, 2025

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Mastercard wins right to challenge privilege ruling as ACCC case heats up

An ACCC win that would allow it access to more of Mastercard’s internal documents in its three and a half year battle against the card scheme, can be challenged and could impact the case.

Merchant Service Fees

PSPs continue to push blended pricing plans despite looming surcharge ban

Nov 5, 2025

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PSPs continue to push blended pricing plans despite looming surcharge ban

Small businesses could be left counting the cost if they succumb to heavy marketing incentives to sign up to hefty blended rate surcharging plans ahead of a looming ban.

Merchant Service Fees

Small business “subdued” as RBA mulls decision on card fees and surcharging

Nov 5, 2025

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Small business “subdued” as RBA mulls decision on card fees and surcharging

Two new reports have articulated stresses facing the nation’s small businesses, as the Reserve Bank of Australia considers the future of surcharging and merchant fees which could deal another blow to the sector.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA “polarising” debate on card fees and surcharge bans rather than looking for solutions, says IPF

Oct 29, 2025

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RBA “polarising” debate on card fees and surcharge bans rather than looking for solutions, says IPF

The Reserve Bank is polarising debate on surcharging by failing to pick up on nuisances and practical ideas to reduce card fees before any surcharge ban is implemented, according to small business advocates.

Merchant Service Fees

Uncertainty prevails as RBA delays decision on surcharging and card fees until March

Oct 29, 2025

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Uncertainty prevails as RBA delays decision on surcharging and card fees until March

The Reserve Bank has delayed its decision on card fees and surcharging until March 2026, saying it needs more time to consider more than 170 submissions received.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA stats on surcharging still not adding up

Oct 22, 2025

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RBA stats on surcharging still not adding up

There is a lot of debate around the surcharge ban in Australia. The Reserve Bank (RBA) claims only 10% of small businesses surcharge, but many are sceptical of that figure. If the RBA is wrong, a ban on surcharging can have serious implications for consumers, businesses and payment service providers.

Merchant Service Fees

Impact of surcharge reform on government services uncertain as rego prices rise

Oct 15, 2025

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Impact of surcharge reform on government services uncertain as rego prices rise

There’s uncertainty about how governments will recoup the cost of banning card surcharges, as NSW bumps up its annual fees by more than CPI and Queensland cuts American Express as payment option for transport this week.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA admits small merchants may continue to pay high card fees

Oct 15, 2025

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RBA admits small merchants may continue to pay high card fees

Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has admitted that not only are small merchants paying “much, much more” in card fees than their big business counterparts, but they may continue to do so under its proposed plan.

Merchant Service Fees

Rewards market can thrive without interchange – and already does

Oct 8, 2025

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Rewards market can thrive without interchange – and already does

The average Aussie spends about $20,000 a year on their credit card, but despite the hype you don’t need to spend a cent on it to get rewards.