A US federal court has given final approval to a $5.54 billion settlement between Visa, Mastercard, and a class of merchants over swipe fees, according to court documents filed on June 10, 2026.
The settlement, approved by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, resolves a long-running antitrust lawsuit that accused the payment networks of fixing fees charged to merchants for processing credit and debit card transactions. The deal was initially announced in 2024.
Under the terms, Visa and Mastercard will pay $5.54 billion into a settlement fund, which will be distributed to eligible merchants. The settlement also includes changes to business practices, such as allowing merchants to surcharge credit card transactions or offer discounts for cheaper payment methods.
Merchants who accepted Visa or Mastercard between 2004 and 2019 are eligible to file claims for a portion of the settlement fund. The deadline for claims has not been extended, and merchants must submit documentation to receive payment.
The settlement does not resolve all antitrust claims against the payment networks, as separate lawsuits by individual merchants and states continue.
