What are scheme fees?
Scheme fees are the amounts Visa and Mastercard charge acquirers for using their networks. Acquirers pass these through to merchants, either bundled into a blended rate or shown separately on Interchange Plus.
Unsure what these charges mean on your own statement? Submit it for a free independent review.
Start free reviewWhy they've risen
Post-Brexit UK-EU card scheme fees have risen materially. Card networks have also introduced more granular fees (assessment, cross-border, currency conversion, authorisation, refund).
What to check
On Interchange Plus, scheme fees should be listed transparently and match published rate cards. On blended pricing, ask when the last scheme fee adjustment was passed through - most providers should hold their own margin flat.
Key takeaways
- ●Scheme fees are pass-through - your provider does not choose them.
- ●They've risen significantly since 2016, especially cross-border.
- ●Providers should absorb scheme fee changes into their own margin, not use them to widen it.