Finance
EU antitrust regulators escalate Visa, Mastercard probe, documents show
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 3, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 3, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
EU regulators are escalating their probe into Visa and Mastercard fees, seeking input from retailers on fee transparency and structure.
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -EU antitrust regulators are asking retailers and payments companies whether a standardized summary of fees by Visa and Mastercard and more transparency on the charges would address their concerns, according to documents seen by Reuters.
The latest questionnaires sent on Tuesday, which came nearly two months after the last batch, suggest that EU regulators have escalated their preliminary investigation into Visa and Mastercard.
The two companies, which charge scheme fees for services related to participation in their card system and process about two-thirds of card payments in the euro zone, have long faced complaints from merchants and payments companies.
The new questionnaires focus primarily on a simpler and more transparent fee structure and how Visa and Mastercard should handle fines levied on retailers and payments companies.
Visa and Mastercard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Respondents were asked whether a standardized summary of fees categorized by type by Mastercard and Visa, including descriptions and services covered, and drafted in plain and intelligible language would be a suitable solution.
The 11-page questionnaires asked if changes to contracts including terms and conditions, services and fees should be based on objective, transparent, general and non-discriminatory criteria.
Regulators wanted to know if a requirement for card schemes to invoice fines separately would help retailers and payments companies to identify the reason for the levies and to challenge them when appropriate as well as the process for contesting them.
The deadline for replies is June 18.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
EU antitrust regulators are investigating whether a standardized summary of fees by Visa and Mastercard and increased transparency on charges would address ongoing complaints from retailers.
The new questionnaires focus on a simpler and more transparent fee structure, as well as how Visa and Mastercard should manage fines imposed on retailers and payments companies.
The deadline for replies to the questionnaires is June 18.
Visa and Mastercard charge scheme fees for services related to their card systems, which has led to complaints from merchants regarding the lack of transparency in these fees.
Regulators are considering whether card schemes should invoice fines separately to help retailers identify the reasons for the levies and challenge them effectively.
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