Surcharging

News about surcharging and consumer fees

Merchant Service Fees

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

Oct 28, 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 28, 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 21, 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 14, 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 14, 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.

Fintech

Zeller sets sights on UK’s £1.3 Trillion SME Market

Oct 7, 2025

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Zeller sets sights on UK’s £1.3 Trillion SME Market

Melbourne blended rate PSP Zeller has set its sights on the UK as the first step in a “global expansion” strategy.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA limp on blended rates and LCR, despite market failure on SME card fees

Sep 23, 2025

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RBA limp on blended rates and LCR, despite market failure on SME card fees

Key strategies to reduce the cost of card fees charged to small businesses are not being used by the Reserve Bank of Australia, despite decades of market failure under the “reluctant regulator” and its proposed ban on surcharging.

Digital & Online

Sep 23, 2025

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Ticketing giants’ opaque pricing

Long the masters of recategorising and changing fee structures to stay a step ahead of regulators, the Ticketmaster/Ticketek duopoly will be ready for any challenge thrown by regulators, their critics believe.

Fintech

With no consensus on card fees and surcharging, will the public interest prevail?

Sep 16, 2025

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With no consensus on card fees and surcharging, will the public interest prevail?

If the Reserve Bank wants consensus on its proposal for merchant fees and surcharging, it’s a lost cause. The best the central bank can hope for is a decision in the public interest, leveraging strong sentiment on issues such as scheme fees, least-cost routing and the burden on small business.

Merchant Service Fees

Payments reforms put global providers in the frame

Sep 9, 2025

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Payments reforms put global providers in the frame

After years of deliberation and delay, federal parliament has finally passed changes to the Payments System Regulation Act. While the reforms give the Treasurer new special powers to designate payments systems in the ‘national interest’ they are unlikely to advance the RBA’s mandate to support competition. Currently only eftpos, NPP, Visa and MasterCard are designated payment systems.

Merchant Service Fees

Tyro’s bizarre warning to SMEs, while industry still peddling costly bundled rates and surcharging

Sep 9, 2025

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Tyro’s bizarre warning to SMEs, while industry still peddling costly bundled rates and surcharging

Tyro is warning customers to only make “modest price adjustments” in the wake of the proposed RBA surcharging bans next year, while continuing to promote hefty 1.4% bundled plans with surcharging to new small business clients.

Merchant Service Fees

Airline ticket price hikes ahead, as Qantas promises to pass on surcharge costs

Sep 2, 2025

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Airline ticket price hikes ahead, as Qantas promises to pass on surcharge costs

Qantas believes that while the RBA's aims are admirable, it will not get the results it wants - with the proposed ban on surcharging more likely to see an inflationary effect.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA tries to head off critics of surcharge assumptions

Aug 19, 2025

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RBA tries to head off critics of surcharge assumptions

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) yesterday moved to head off criticism of the data it used in its Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging consultation paper.

Merchant Service Fees

Merchants cop more card fee increases, despite RBA pressure

Aug 12, 2025

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Merchants cop more card fee increases, despite RBA pressure

Merchant fees across Australia's major payment networks have increased over the past six months, despite intensified regulatory scrutiny from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

Merchant Service Fees

Coalition chaos over surcharge ban, card fees

Aug 5, 2025

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Coalition chaos over surcharge ban, card fees

With Treasury spokesman Ted O’Brien missing in action, mixed messages have come from coalition leadership on card payments and surcharging.

Merchant Service Fees

Will NZ retailers get their “no tap” signs out after proposed POS surcharge ban?

Jul 29, 2025

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Will NZ retailers get their “no tap” signs out after proposed POS surcharge ban?

New Zealand retailers may be reaching for their “no tap” terminal signs again, after their government proposed a ban on surcharges for most Visa and Mastercard POS payments this week.

Merchant Service Fees

NZ continues surcharging and preserves zero debit interchange option

Jul 22, 2025

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NZ continues surcharging and preserves zero debit interchange option

New Zealand's Commerce Commission has retained a zero debit interchange option for merchants, continued card surcharging and reduced other interchange fees for businesses accepting Visa and Mastercard payments.

Fintech

Buyout target Smartpay exposed to fallout from RBA reforms

Jul 15, 2025

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Buyout target Smartpay exposed to fallout from RBA reforms

Publication of the RBA’s payments roadmap put Tyro’s share price under pressure on Tuesday, but the business fallout will be more widely distributed in the payments sector.

Merchant Service Fees

Retailers accuse RBA of “political fix” on card fees

Jul 15, 2025

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Retailers accuse RBA of “political fix” on card fees

Small business groups say the RBA’s proposed reforms won’t bring down card fees anywhere near as much as anticipated, and consumers will end up paying higher prices.

Merchant Service Fees

eCommerce jobs go as Tyro implements new product and technology model

Jul 8, 2025

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eCommerce jobs go as Tyro implements new product and technology model

With its future under the cloud of a languishing share price, US rivals looking to Australia for acquisitions, and the RBA set to up end its business model, Tyro is vowing to go it alone.

Merchant Service Fees

RBA options paper set to ignite heated debate on card fees and surcharging

Jul 8, 2025

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RBA options paper set to ignite heated debate on card fees and surcharging

When the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kicks off its consultation on the Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging next Tuesday, Australia will have three big payments consultations running in tandem. Why?

Merchant Service Fees

Chalmers dodges a productivity test on payments

Jun 24, 2025

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Chalmers dodges a productivity test on payments

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has ducked for cover after his office was asked to explain why taxpayers are wearing the cost of government agencies only being able to accept online debit card payments processed through the Visa and Mastercard networks.

Surcharging

Historic shakeup? Surcharge ban prompts A2A and crypto challengers

Jun 24, 2025

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Historic shakeup? Surcharge ban prompts A2A and crypto challengers

The dominance of card giants and Australia’s big banks’ revenue streams are under threat as the industry readies for structural transformation in the face of a looming debit card surcharge ban and escalating costs for merchants.

Merchant Service Fees

Scheme fees in Europe’s spotlight after 10 yrs of fee cap failures

Jun 17, 2025

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Scheme fees in Europe’s spotlight after 10 yrs of fee cap failures

A group of prominent European retailers has renewed calls to regulate fees charged international card schemes (ICS) on card transactions, saying a lack of controls is seriously undermining efforts to reduce the cost of card payments.

Surcharging

Federal Government debit surcharges continue, despite proposed ban

Mar 24, 2025

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Federal Government debit surcharges continue, despite proposed ban

Aussies are continuing to cop debit card surcharges for Federal Government services such as new passports, visas and national parks entry, despite a proposed ban.