© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Visa credit score and debit playing cards are seen on this image illustration taken August 2, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Picture
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By Iain Withers
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s funds regulator on Wednesday provisionally proposed a cap on cross-border interchange charges charged by Mastercard (NYSE:) and Visa (NYSE:) on transactions made between the UK and European single market.
The Cost Techniques Regulator (PSR) mentioned a cap would defend companies from overpaying, after it revealed interim findings of a market evaluation on interchange charges charged since Brexit, when the bloc’s longstanding cap ceased to use in Britain.
UK lawmakers had piled stress on the PSR to contemplate re-introducing a cap in Britain, and the watchdog mentioned final 12 months it might conduct two market evaluations, however that an consequence may take years.
The PSR mentioned the evaluation targeted on expenses set by Mastercard and Visa, as they account for 99% of debit and bank card funds within the UK.
The watchdog mentioned each firms had possible raised charges to an “unduly high level”, costing UK companies an additional 150-200 million kilos ($190-250 million) final 12 months resulting from payment will increase.
“In short, at this stage, we do not think this market is working well,” PSR managing director Chris Hemsley mentioned in a press release.
Beneath the proposals, the PSR would impose an preliminary time-limited cap of 0.2% on UK-European Financial Space debit transactions and 0.3% on credit score transactions. An enduring cap would then be imposed as soon as additional evaluation is carried out.
A spokesperson for Visa mentioned the corporate strongly disputed the findings of the PSR’s interim report and mentioned the proposed cures had been “not justified”.
“Accepting reliable, secure, and innovative digital payments represents enormous value to UK businesses, especially when selling overseas,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“These interchange rates apply to less than 2% of UK card payments – European (EEA) cardholders buying online from a UK seller – and reflect the fact that these transactions are more complex and carry far greater risk of fraud.”
Mastercard didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The PSR is inviting suggestions on the proposals till the tip of January, with a ultimate report due within the first quarter of 2024.
A authorities commissioned report final month mentioned Britain wants a “digital alternative” to counting on Visa and Mastercard no matter what the PSR does, echoing longstanding ambitions within the EU for a “home grown” different to the American duo that has but to emerge.
($1 = 0.7990 kilos)
