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Credit card companies don't work for free. Every time you use one, the store you're buying from is charged a "swipe fee" — and that charge will get passed down to you in higher prices.
While consumer prices have risen about 20% since the pandemic, swipe fees have increased by 50% and hit a record $172 billion in 2023, the Merchant Payments Coalition estimates.
A recent settlement between Visa, Mastercard and the largest U.S. credit card issuing banks and merchants has lowered swipe fees for the next five years, saving money on your monthly credit card...
In March 2024, a settlement in the injunctive relief portion of the payment card interchange fee case was announced to reduce what are known as "swipe fees" for merchants in the U.S. This change, set to last five years, was expected to save retailers about $30 billion and mark the end of a long-standing legal battle over antitrust issues ...
The Merchants Payments Coalition is fighting for a more competitive and transparent card fee system that better serves American consumers and merchants alike. [26] Because swipe fees are hidden, consumers are unable to weigh the benefits and costs associated with choosing a particular form of payment.
At an average 2% to 4% of the purchase price, swipe fees account for up to 60 cents of the $15 or so it costs to buy a package of Oreos, a jar of peanut butter, one of jelly, and a loaf of bread.
Within the first year, average fees fell from 44 cents to 24 cents per swipe. In response, banks largely did away with debit reward programs and other consumer benefits such as free checking accounts.
If a merchant pays a $2 fee on a $100 transaction, about $1.60 of that goes to the customer's bank and a smaller amount goes to the merchant's bank, which together constitute an interchange fee.