Each year in April and October, the card brands update processing rules and rates. Below is a summary of the changes that will impact the broadest number of merchants.
Visa
Interchange Fees
NEW - Installment Consumer Credit Interchange Programs and Rates – US
Effective October 23, 2026, Visa expanded its Installment Credential Credit product to issuers in the United States, supporting Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and other Installment payment options. Visa has introduced the following interchange fee programs to support the Installment Credential Credit product.
| Visa Installment Credential Card Not Present Fee Program | Applicable Interchange Rate |
|---|---|
| ≤$50 or Restricted Installment / BNPL Segments | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Recurring Tier 1 | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Recurring Tier 2 | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Recurring Tier 3 | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Recurring | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Product 1 | 2.50% + $0.10 |
| Advertising 1 | 1.85% + $0.10 |
| Insurance 1 | 1.53% + $0.05 |
| Education 1 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.53% + $0.05 |
| Healthcare 1 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.53% + $0.05 |
| Real Estate 1 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.53% + $0.05 |
| Services 1 (applies to transactions ≥ $100) | 1.95% + $0.10 |
| Travel 1 | 2.40% + $0.10 |
| Restaurant 1 | 2.70% (minimum $0.08) |
| Taxi 1 | 2.70% (minimum $0.08) |
| Charity 1 | 1.35% + $0.05 |
| Government 1 | 1.55% + $0.10 |
| Consumer Bill Payment Service (CBPS), Consumer Credit 1 | 2.50% + $0.10 |
| CPS / Utility | $0.75 |
| Non-Qualified Consumer Credit | 3.15% + $0.10 |
| Card Not Present Incentive Type | |
| Type 1 | -0.05% |
| Type 2 | -0.10% |
| Type 3 | -0.15% |
Card Not Present Incentives require CPS qualification and are subject to change.
EMV Token transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 1, except for Charity 1 and CPS/Utility.
Digital Commerce Authentication Program (DCAP) transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 2, except for Charity 1 and CPS/Utility.
DCAP + EMV Token transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 3, except for Charity 1 and CPS/Utility.
Charity 1 DCAP transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 1.
| Visa Installment Credential Card Present Fee Program | Applicable Interchange Rate |
|---|---|
| ≤$50 or Restricted Installment / BNPL Segments | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Supermarket Tier 0 | 1.55% + $0.05 |
| Supermarket Tier 1 | 1.55% + $0.05 |
| Supermarket Tier 2 | 1.55% + $0.05 |
| Supermarket Tier 3 | 1.60% + $0.05 |
| Supermarket All Other | 1.65% + $0.07 |
| Retail Tier 1 | 2.10% + $0.10 |
| Retail Tier 2 | 2.10% + $0.10 |
| Retail Tier 3 | 2.10% + $0.10 |
| Product 2 | 2.10% + $0.10 |
| Fuel | 1.15% + $0.25 (capped at $1.10) |
| Advertising 2 | 1.75% + $0.10 |
| Insurance 2 | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Education 2 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Healthcare 2 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Real Estate 2 (applies to transactions ≥ $500) | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Services 2 (applies to transactions ≥ $100) | 1.85% + $0.10 |
| Travel 2 | 2.40% + $0.10 |
| Restaurant 2 | 2.60% (minimum $0.04) |
| Taxi 2 | 2.60% (minimum $0.04) |
| Charity 2 | 1.35% + $0.05 |
| Government 2 | 1.55% + $0.10 |
| CBPS, Consumer Credit 2 | 2.50% + $0.10 |
| Non-Qualified Consumer Credit | 3.15% + $0.10 |
| Visa Installment Credential Small Merchant Fee Program# | Applicable Interchange Rate |
|---|---|
| Small Merchant Product 2 | 1.88% + $0.10 |
| Small Merchant Product 1 | 2.18% + $0.10 |
| Small Merchant Advertising | 1.75% + $0.10 |
| Small Merchant Supermarket | 1.65% + $0.07 |
| Small Merchant Education 1 and 2 | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Small Merchant Healthcare 1 and 2 | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Small Merchant Insurance 1 and 2 | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Small Merchant Real Estate 1 and 2 | 1.43% + $0.05 |
| Small Merchant Recurring 1 and 2 | 1.10% (minimum $0.04) |
| Small Merchant Services 1 and 2 | 1.85% + $0.10 |
| Small Merchant Restaurant 1 and 2 | 2.60% (minimum $0.04) |
| Small Merchant Taxi 1 and 2 | 2.60% (minimum $0.04) |
| Small Merchant Card Not Present Incentive Type | |
| Type 1 | -0.05% |
| Type 2 | -0.10% |
| Type 3 | -0.15% |
# Small merchant transaction that disqualifies for Small Merchant Fee Program will be assessed at next applicable rate.
Card Not Present Incentives require CPS qualification and are subject to change.
DCAP transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 1, except for Small Merchant Product 1.
For Small Merchant Product 1, EMV Token transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 1, DCAP transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 2, and DCAP + EMV Token transactions qualify for Card Not Present Incentive Type 3.
Network Fees
NEW - Embedded Payment Acquirer Fee – US
Effective October 23, 2026, Visa introduced a 0.10% fee which applies to Visa Commercial solutions virtual card transactions processed through integrated business applications, also known as embedded payment platforms. The fee will be assessed when transactions made using virtual cards are flagged as embedded payments by Visa; it will apply to settled domestic and cross-border card not-present sales and refund transactions.
NEW - New Token Chargeback Compelling Evidence 3.0 Fee – US
Effective October 17, 2026, Visa introduced a $6 fee for fraud disputes successfully resolved through the submission of qualifying Compelling Evidence 3.0 data through the Visa Token Service (VTS) or Data Exchange API.
Mastercard
Interchange
Modifications to Fleet Interchange Program
Effective October 23, 2026, Mastercard restructured its fleet card interchange program. Transactions qualifying under programs that are being discontinued may qualify under the new commercial fleet interchange programs if all applicable program and data requirements are met. Merchants who do not meet these requirements will be assessed standard rates.
The new programs are as follows:
| Current (Discontinued Effective October 23, 2026) | Effective October 23, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Rate | Program | Rate |
| Data Rate I Large Market | 2.70% + $0.10 | Commercial Fleet Data Rate I | 2.70% + $0.10 |
| Data Rate II Large Market | 2.50% + $0.10 | Commercial Fleet Data Rate II | 2.50% + $0.10 |
| Data Rate II Large Market | 2.20% + $0.10 | Data Rate II Large Market (Petroleum MCC’s 4468, 5499, 5541, 5542, 5983) | 2.20% + $0.10 |
| Data Rate III Large Market | 1.90% + $0.10 | Commercial Fleet Data Rate III | 1.90% + $0.10 |
| Large Ticket Large Market | 1.45% + $35.00 | Commercial Fleet Large Ticket | 1.45% + $35.00 |
To be eligible for the new commercial fleet programs, merchants with MCC’s 4468, 5499, 5541, 5542, 5983 and 5552 need to submit Level III line-item data. Merchants who do not meet these new requirements will be assessed standard rates, as follows:
| Merchant Category Code | Current | Data | Effective October 23, 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Rate | Program | Rate | ||
| 4468, 5499, 5541, 5542, 5983 | Data Rate II Large Market | 2.20% + $0.10 | With Enhanced Data | Commercial Fleet Data Rate I | 2.70% + $0.10 |
| Commercial Fleet Data Rate II | 2.50% + $0.10 | ||||
| Without Enhanced Data | Standard Large Market | 2.95% + $0.10 | |||
| 5552 | Data Rate II Large Market | 2.20% + $0.10 | With Enhanced Data | Commercial Fleet Data Rate I | 2.70% + $0.10 |
| Without Enhanced Data | Standard Large Market | 2.95% + $0.10 |
Eligibility for New Fleet Programs
To meet the criteria for Commercial Fleet Data Rate I, a transaction must contain one of the following MCC’s: 4468, 5499, 5541, 5013, 5511, 5531, 5532, 5533, 5599, 7531, 5542, 5552, 5983, 7534, 7535, 7538, 7542, 7549, 7692, 7699.
To meet the criteria for Commercial Fleet Data Rate II and Commercial Fleet Large Ticket, a transaction must contain one of the following MCC’s: 4468, 5499, 5541, 5013, 5511, 5531, 5532, 5533, 5599, 7531, 5542, 5983, 7534, 7535, 7538, 7542, 7549, 7692, 7699.
To meet the criteria for Commercial Fleet Data Rate III, a transaction must contain one of the following MCC’s: 5013, 5511, 5531, 5532, 5533, 5599, 7531, 7534, 7535, 7538, 7542, 7549, 7692, 7699.
Network Fees
NEW – Crypto-Funded Transaction Fee – US
Mastercard Crypto Cards allow cardholders to spend cryptocurrency balances while merchants receive settlement in standard currency. Effective October 19, 2026, Mastercard introduced a new 0.05% fee for crypto-funded transactions processed through its Crypto Card program; the fee only applies to transactions funded by cryptocurrency through eligible Mastercard Crypto Cards, traditional card transactions are unaffected.
NEW – Specialty Merchant Program Fee Modifications – US
Effective October 28th, Mastercard introduced a 0.10% volume fee and a $0.02 per item fee for merchants registered in Mastercard’s Specialty Merchant Program. Transactions in specialty categories such as adult content, gambling, tobacco, cryptocurrency purchases, and high-risk securities transactions will be subject to the fee. This is the latest in a series of changes that Mastercard has made to its Specialty Merchant Program in 2026, which also included doubling the registration fee to $1,000 in June 2026.
NEW - M/Chip Deployment Performance Fee – US (Implemented August 1st)
Effective August 1st, Mastercard introduced the M/Chip Deployment Performance Program to encourage compatibility with emerging payment technologies. Under this program merchants will be assessed a $12 per terminal fee for each 30-day period during which a POS terminal experiences chip technology transaction failures.
