Merchant Service Fees

News about fees including interchange, scheme fees and margin

Fee fog thickens as Visa and Mastercard sidestep parliamentary scrutiny

Apr 29, 2026

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Fee fog thickens as Visa and Mastercard sidestep parliamentary scrutiny

As the Reserve Bank moves to increase transparency on fees, the global card giants deflect detailed parliamentary questions on $2 billion in scheme fees. They have instead leaned on global narratives, while avoiding direct answers on Australian cost increases and merchant impacts.

Merchant Service Fees

The NFC chip, the banks, and the distraction from the bigger payments fight

Apr 22, 2026

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The NFC chip, the banks, and the distraction from the bigger payments fight

As the Reserve Bank mulls over the scope of its second payments consultation, it must consider whether regulating Google and Apple will really produce a more resilient and efficient payments system for consumers and merchants, or just deliver a win for the banks?

Merchant Service Fees

Wake up! Only 162 days before surcharge ban kicks in

Apr 22, 2026

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Wake up! Only 162 days before surcharge ban kicks in

With just 162 days left until the first round of changes to Australia’s retail payment system, the payments industry is having mixed reactions to the most significant changes in a generation, but you wouldn’t know it.

Merchant Service Fees

ACCC takes on Mastercard in Federal Court

Apr 15, 2026

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ACCC takes on Mastercard in Federal Court

The ACCC's landmark competition case against Mastercard opened in the Federal Court on Monday, with senior counsel for the regulator, John Sheahan, walking Justice Wigney through the evidence.

Merchant Service Fees

Commercial card printing frenzy as banks chase interchange

Apr 15, 2026

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Commercial card printing frenzy as banks chase interchange

The RBA's commercial card carve-out has handed banks, schemes and loyalty programs a licence to hunt 4m ABN holders in Australia to fill $910m revenue hole.

Merchant Service Fees

Schemes allow surcharging in the US as RBA shuts the door here

Apr 15, 2026

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Schemes allow surcharging in the US as RBA shuts the door here

In a cruel irony for Australian small businesses, Mastercard and Visa have changed the rule book in the US to allow surcharging on credit cards, just as the Reserve Bank of Australia bans the practice in Australia.

Fintech

Shift4 in the frame as Cuscal moves on NZ Paymark

Apr 15, 2026

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Shift4 in the frame as Cuscal moves on NZ Paymark

Cuscal is buying New Zealand’s answer to eftpos - Paymark – in a deal that may secure a brighter future for one of its biggest customers, Shift4, in the land of the long white cloud.

Merchant Service Fees

The RBA killed the one tool that could help SMEs navigate the surcharge ban

Apr 15, 2026

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The RBA killed the one tool that could help SMEs navigate the surcharge ban

The Reserve Bank, the same regulator that banned surcharging, has also killed the idea of a payments comparison website, the one tool that would have let small businesses actually shop around for a better deal on card acceptance fees. And it did so despite Australia's biggest bank offering to pay for it.

Merchant Service Fees

“Own goal”: 87% of Aussies brace for 3.5% price hike after surcharge ban

Apr 8, 2026

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“Own goal”: 87% of Aussies brace for 3.5% price hike after surcharge ban

New research from Money.com.au reveals that just one-third of Australians support the government's surcharge ban, with 87% expecting retailers to respond by raising prices, potentially triggering a fresh inflation spike at the worst possible time.

Cash

"The fees don't disappear": voices calling foul on Australia's surcharge ban

Apr 8, 2026

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"The fees don't disappear": voices calling foul on Australia's surcharge ban

Over the past week, commentary from across industry - Brad Kelly, the co-founder of the Independent Payments Forum (IPF), John Arnott, Director of AMP Bank Go, Jason Bryce, a Melbourne-based financial journalist and founder of CashWelcome.org, and Dr Fei Gao, Lecturer from the University of Sydney Business School - has highlighted the level of concern about the RBA’s decision during a period of high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Merchant Service Fees

Small businesses are scratching their head at how banning surcharges can be good for them

Apr 1, 2026

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Small businesses are scratching their head at how banning surcharges can be good for them

A wide range of businesses and small business groups are convinced that the RBA has kicked an own goal on inflation with an April Fool’s joke that is not funny.

Merchant Service Fees

Payments fees surge as oil accelerates inflation

Mar 25, 2026

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Payments fees surge as oil accelerates inflation

Higher ticket prices are creating a surge in payment fees for small businesses, in an economy that Commonwealth Bank and others believe will see the Consumer Price Index rise above 4%.

Merchant Service Fees

Cards close to the chest – RBA mum on fees and surcharge decision

Mar 11, 2026

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Cards close to the chest – RBA mum on fees and surcharge decision

The decision has already been made but the Reserve Bank isn’t giving away any clues as it prepares for the official release of its final verdict on merchant fees and surcharging later this month.

Merchant Service Fees

Bank lobby flags capped credit card surcharge option

Mar 4, 2026

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Bank lobby flags capped credit card surcharge option

With the Reserve Bank set to make its final decision on merchant fees and surcharging tomorrow, the big bank lobby has flagged an alternative to banning credit card surcharging which involves the introduction of credit surcharge caps.

Fintech

ParliPay - hours of action-packed TV with a pinch of fiction

Mar 4, 2026

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ParliPay - hours of action-packed TV with a pinch of fiction

Last week I spent two days watching the parade of banking and payment seniors strut their stuff in Canberra at the House Economics Committee – the ParliPay hearings.

Merchant Service Fees

Mar 4, 2026

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The great loyalty shake-up: Australia's biggest brands rewire rewards

Australia's loyalty landscape is being redrawn by regulatory pressure, cost-of-living anxiety and a retail data goldrush where every payment is a data point that’s sold and shared.

Merchant Service Fees

Global payments consultancy BBMS enters Australia as surcharging ban looms

Feb 25, 2026

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Global payments consultancy BBMS enters Australia as surcharging ban looms

With the RBA’s card surcharging ban set to hit in July, London-based payments veteran Neil Fillbrook is bringing BB Merchant Services’ forensic cost-reduction model to Australia — promising average savings of 23% for businesses.

Merchant Service Fees

“Monopoly” schemes and blended rates killing retail payments competition, says committee

Feb 25, 2026

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“Monopoly” schemes and blended rates killing retail payments competition, says committee

A parliamentary inquiry into card schemes and digital wallets has labelled the dominance of US card schemes in Australia a “monopoly”, while others said the benefits of least-cost routing are being eroded by pervasive blended rate plans.

Merchant Service Fees

Feb 25, 2026

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The $2 Billion scheme fee black box

A marathon day of parliamentary testimony revealed a payments system where nobody admits to being dominant, nobody can fully explain where the money goes, and Australia’s small businesses are caught in the crossfire between banks, card schemes, and big tech.

Fintech

Threatened “Zero Cost” Smartpay changes name and wants AusPayNet review

Feb 25, 2026

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Threatened “Zero Cost” Smartpay changes name and wants AusPayNet review

With its business model on the brink, blended rate terminal operator Smartpay has changed its name and come out swinging on surcharge regulation, scheme fees, Apple Pay and big bank dominance, including the role of the industry’s “governance body” AusPayNet.

Cash

Australia breaks new records on card spending ... and merchant fees

Feb 18, 2026

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Australia breaks new records on card spending ... and merchant fees

New data shows 2025 saw record card usage in Australia, but fees charged to merchants for accepting those cards also increased across almost all card categories.

Merchant Service Fees

“Card tricks” keeping SME fees high, says IPF

Feb 11, 2026

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“Card tricks” keeping SME fees high, says IPF

A coalition representing more than 120,000 small retailers has accused global card schemes of keeping their payment costs artificially high by applying a global playbook of “card tricks”.

Merchant Service Fees

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.