Surcharging

News about surcharging and consumer fees

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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

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.

Regulation

Merchant fees surge 10% ahead of proposed surcharge ban

Nov 12, 2025

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Merchant fees surge 10% ahead of proposed surcharge ban

New RBA data shows Australian merchants are paying $300 million more annually in card fees, despite political and regulatory scrutiny on surcharging and interchange reform.

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.

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

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

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.

Fintech

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

Oct 8, 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 24, 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 24, 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 17, 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 10, 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 10, 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 3, 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 20, 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 13, 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 6, 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 30, 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 23, 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.