Judge Rules Visa Must Face New Debit Card Antitrust Case

Core Viewpoint - Visa is facing a class action lawsuit from merchants alleging monopolistic practices in the debit card market, which could lead to prolonged litigation [1][6]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - A judge has ruled that Visa's argument to dismiss certain merchant plaintiffs based on a previous settlement is invalid, as the current case involves materially different facts [2]. - The lawsuit filed in October accuses Visa of engaging in anticompetitive behavior that has inflated transaction fees in the debit card market [3][4]. - The Department of Justice has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Visa, claiming the company has used exclusionary contracts to maintain its market dominance, resulting in higher fees for merchants and consumers [4][5]. Group 2: Visa's Response - Visa has not commented on the ongoing class action lawsuit but has previously described the DOJ's lawsuit as "meritless," arguing that the debit payment space is competitive with many new entrants [3][5]. - A federal judge has allowed the DOJ's lawsuit to proceed, rejecting Visa's attempt to dismiss it as premature [5]. Group 3: Implications - With both the class action lawsuit and the DOJ's antitrust case allowed to proceed, Visa may face years of legal challenges [6].