Visa Accused of Monopolising Debit Card Transactions in U.S. Antitrust Lawsuit

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused global payments giant Visa of monopolising debit card transactions, limiting competition, and negatively impacting consumers.

The DOJ claims that Visa, which is responsible for processing over 60% of debit transactions in the United States, has established a firm grip on the market through aggressive tactics. 

These include imposing high fees on merchants and striking deals with potential rivals to dissuade them from entering the payment space. As a result, Visa reportedly generates approximately $7 billion annually from fees associated with transactions processed on its network.

In response to the allegations, Visa’s general counsel, Julie Rottenberg, asserted that the company is committed to a competitive marketplace. She described the lawsuit as lacking merit and emphasised that Visa’s popularity among businesses and consumers comes from its secure network and superior fraud protection.

The lawsuit arises as part of the Biden administration’s mission to address rising consumer prices, which has become a serious political issue ahead of the upcoming presidential election. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighted the impact of Visa’s alleged practices, stating that they influence pricing across various sectors by passing costs onto consumers through merchants and banks.

According to prosecutors, Visa’s questionable methods reportedly date back to 2012, coinciding with reforms that allowed competing networks to emerge. Allegations include that Visa engaged in lucrative agreements with companies like Apple, PayPal, and Block, ensuring they would not release products that might challenge Visa’s dominance.

The lawsuit also reveals Visa’s imposition of financial penalties on merchants who fail to route transactions primarily through its network. This has led to allegations about Visa’s influence over pricing structures in the industry.

The DOJ is seeking an injunction from a Manhattan judge to prohibit Visa from enforcing pricing policies that hinder competition and paying rivals to refrain from competing. This also follows a period of increasing investigations over Visa’s market strategies, including a failed acquisition of financial technology company Plaid.

The payment giant is not the only company facing regulatory challenges. Rival Mastercard is also under investigation by the DOJ, highlighting the ongoing examination of anti-competitive practices within the payment processing sector. The two companies have been embroiled in litigation for almost two decades concerning their market dominance.

In a previous case, Visa and Mastercard agreed in 2019 to a $5.6 billion settlement with U.S. merchants over allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. However, a recent ruling in Brooklyn rejected a proposed settlement that would have reduced swipe fees significantly over the next five years, showing the complexities of legal challenges facing these payment giants.

Visa has reportedly allocated approximately $1.6 billion to cover potential settlements related to interchange fees and other ongoing legal matters in the United States.