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Commerce Commission caps Visa and Mastercard commercial card fees
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission (ComCom) has announced a cap on interchange fees for Mastercard and Visa commercial credit cards. The regulator expects this move to save businesses approximately $40 million annually.
ComCom Commissioner Brian Chapple stated that when combined with previous cuts to interchange fees on personal cards, the total reduction in business costs should reach around $290 million each year. The commission noted that while commercial credit cards represent a small portion of total transactions, they generate a disproportionately large share of interchange fees.
According to Chapple, these fees often fund cardholder benefits—such as loyalty programs and interest-free credit—which are ultimately passed on to all consumers through higher retail prices. The new fee caps are scheduled to take effect on April 22, 2027, with the goal of promoting competition and encouraging the adoption of alternative payment methods.
Entities
Brian Chapple · Commerce Commission · Mastercard · New Zealand · Visa
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Total business cost reductions from both commercial and personal card fee cuts should reach $290 million annually. insideretail.co.nz · business.scoop.co.nz
- [● 2 SOURCES] The fee caps are expected to save businesses $40 million per year. insideretail.co.nz · business.scoop.co.nz
- [● 2 SOURCES] Commercial credit cards generate a disproportionately large share of interchange fees relative to their transaction volume. insideretail.co.nz · business.scoop.co.nz
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Commerce Commission is capping interchange fees on Mastercard and Visa commercial credit cards. insideretail.co.nz · business.scoop.co.nz
- [● 2 SOURCES] The new interchange fee caps will come into effect on April 22, 2027. insideretail.co.nz · business.scoop.co.nz