EU Expands Visa, Mastercard Fee Probe Covering Two-Thirds Of Eurozone Payments

EU regulators have intensified their scrutiny of Visa and Mastercard, launching a comprehensive investigation into the payment giants’ fee structures. The probe follows mounting complaints from merchants and payment companies alleging anti-competitive practices in a market where the two firms control approximately 66% of all card transactions.

The European Commission’s latest MOVE involves detailed questionnaires targeting terminal providers and payment processors, seeking documentation of fee changes implemented since 2017. This evidence-gathering phase could pave the way for formal antitrust charges if investigators uncover proof of market abuse.

Market dominance remains the central focus, with regulators examining whether Visa and Mastercard’s duopoly position allows them to impose unfair terms on merchants and stifle innovation in Europe’s payment landscape. The outcome could reshape transaction economics across the eurozone’s financial ecosystem.