Electronic Payments Coalition
The Small Business – Credit Card Agreement | Electronic Payments Coalition

The Small Business – Credit Card Agreement

The private sector delivered a free-market solution for businesses of all sizes

The Small Business – Credit Card Agreement delivers guaranteed savings to businesses right now — without government intervention. Interchange rates are reduced by 5%, capped at 1.25% for five to eight years, and guaranteed to save businesses $25 billion annually — no legislation required.

Congress doesn’t need to act. The market already did.

Congress doesn’t need to act.
The market already did.

Bottom Line: The private sector delivered for Main Street. Mega-stores keep moving the goalposts — they want the service for free, and no deal will ever satisfy them.

$200+ BILLION

in guaranteed relief over eight years — nearly a quarter trillion dollars.

Visa, Mastercard, and a class of merchants, including small businesses, reached an agreement that lowers rates and gives America’s 33 million small businesses more flexibility and control over how they accept payments. Preliminarily approved June 9, 2026.

5%

reduction in the average U.S. standard credit card interchange rates

+

1.25%

cap on the standard credit card interchange rate

+

$25B

in annual savings for businesses under the agreement

+

10 PTS

reduction in all Visa & Mastercard credit card interchange rates.

  • Lower rates – guaranteed
  • Rate caps locked in for 5 & 8 years
  • More acceptance flexibility for merchants.

Who’s Opposed?
Corporate Mega-Stores Who Want More

The loudest opposition: greedy corporate mega-stores and their lobbyists

Main Street

  • Guaranteed lower rates
  • Locked-in rate caps
  • $25B in annual savings
VS.

Mega-Stores

  • Objecting to the deal
  • Want a bigger cut
  • Pushing untested mandates

Small businesses got guarantees. Corporate mega-stores want more.

👎

Walmart’s greed is standing in the way of small business relief

“[Small businesses] traded away the interests of large national merchants for relief that is worthless to the members with the most at stake in this litigation.”

Source: Electronic Payments Coalition — Small Business Credit Card Agreement one-pager, June 2026.
© 2026 Electronic Payments Coalition. All rights reserved.