Anadegas threatens to withdraw card payments from fuel stations

The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) has threatened to withdraw card payment terminals (verifones) from its 780 affiliated fuel stations in the Dominican Republic. The association, led by President Juan Elías Pérez, claims that high banking commissions are making card transactions unsustainable for retailers.

Pérez stated that the sector is being charged between 1.95% and 3% per transaction, which translates to approximately RD$7.00 to RD$8.00 per gallon sold. He noted that these costs represent about 27% of the retailers' gross profits, an amount he described as an unsustainable burden that ‘practically annihilates’ the sector. The association claims that Dominican retailers pay some of the highest service fees in the region.

Despite a 90-day grace period facilitated by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs to reach an agreement with financial institutions, no solution has been reached. Anadegas has warned that they may switch to cash-only operations ‘at any moment’ if the banking sector does not reduce these costs.