Benzingaยท2025-11-09 07:46Core Insights - Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. are nearing a settlement with merchants that may lower credit card fees and enhance retailers' flexibility in card acceptance [1][2] Group 1: Settlement Details - The proposed settlement aims to resolve a 20-year legal dispute over interchange fees, which are the charges merchants incur when customers use credit cards [2][3] - Interchange fees, typically ranging from 2% to 2.5% per transaction, could be reduced by an average of about 0.1 percentage point over several years [2] - Merchants would gain the ability to refuse high-fee rewards cards, which have been a point of contention due to their higher costs [3] Group 2: Historical Context - The legal case dates back to 2005 when merchants sued card networks and large banks for alleged anticompetitive behavior [3] - A previous settlement attempt in 2024 was rejected by a judge, but discussions resumed earlier this year, including provisions for surcharging [4] Group 3: Company Performance - Visa reported strong fourth-quarter results with U.S. payment volumes rising 7.6%, global volumes up 8.8%, and cross-border payments surging 12% [4] - Revenue reached $10.7 billion, exceeding estimates, and adjusted EPS grew 10% to $2.98 [5] - Mastercard is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire cryptocurrency startup Zerohash for $1.5 billion to $2 billion, marking a significant investment in the stablecoin sector [5][6]