Visa Inc. (V) and Mastercard to Pay $167.5m to Settle Lawsuit Over ATM Fees

Core Insights - Visa Inc. is involved in a class-action lawsuit settlement, agreeing to pay $167.5 million alongside Mastercard to resolve allegations of colluding to maintain high ATM access fees [2] - The company has formed a strategic alliance with Orange Money Group to enhance online payment solutions and financial service access in the Middle East and Africa [3] - Visa's stock has increased by 11.08% year-to-date as of December 22, 2025, indicating positive market performance [4] Legal Developments - Visa and Mastercard will each contribute approximately $88.8 million and $78.7 million, respectively, to a settlement fund for consumers charged unreimbursed fees at non-bank ATMs since October 2007 [2] - The lawsuit, initiated in 2011, challenged industry regulations that allegedly hindered the reduction of ATM fees, with both companies denying any wrongdoing [2] Strategic Partnerships - The partnership with Orange Money aims to provide safe and globally accepted payment options, with plans to expand to markets like Guinea, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo [3] - This initiative builds on existing deployments to promote broader acceptance of digital payments through enhanced infrastructure [3] Market Performance - Visa's shares have shown a significant increase of 11.08% year-to-date, reflecting strong investor confidence [4] - Despite this positive performance, there are suggestions that certain AI stocks may present greater upside potential with less downside risk compared to Visa [4]