Mastercard Interchange Fees in European Union Countries
Interchange Fees are the commission that the card-issuing bank retains on every transaction. Mastercard publishes differentiated rates by card type (Consumer, Commercial), channel (POS, e-commerce), and geography (Intra-EEA vs Extra-EEA). In the EU, the IFR Regulation imposes a maximum cap for consumer cards, identical to Visa. Below is the consultable table of Mastercard interchange fees applied in EU countries.
Mastercard Interchange Fees in EU/EEA
| Card type | Category | Intra-EEA | Extra-EEA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Debit | Personal cards | 0.20% | 1.15% - 1.50% | EU IFR cap |
| Consumer Credit | Personal cards | 0.30% | 1.50% - 2.90% | EU IFR cap |
| Commercial Debit | Business cards | 0.70% - 1.10% | Variable | No cap |
| Commercial Credit | Business cards | 1.20% - 2.00% | Variable | No cap |
| Premium/Corporate | Executive cards | 1.60% - 2.30% | Variable | No cap |
Source: EU IFR Regulation, Mastercard rates. Updated 2026. Commercial rates vary by country and merchant category. Mastercard tends to be slightly more competitive than Visa on commercial cards.
What is Mastercard Interchange Fee and who pays it
The Interchange Fee is the portion that the bank that issued the card (e.g. UniCredit, Revolut) retains on every transaction. Mastercard and Visa do not collect Interchange directly: they pass it to the issuing bank. You, as a merchant, pay it indirectly through your gateway or acquiring bank.
With an Interchange++ (IC++) contract you see this line item separately on your invoice. With flat (blended) rates it is hidden in the total.
The EU cap for Consumer cards
Since 2015 the IFR has imposed the same maximum cap as Visa for consumer cards issued in the EEA:
Debit: 0.20% of the transaction
Credit: 0.30% of the transaction
This applies only when both the issuing and acquiring banks are in the European Economic Area. Cards issued outside the EEA (e.g. USA, post-Brexit UK) do not benefit from the cap and fees can exceed 2%.
Mastercard vs Visa: differences on Commercial cards
On consumer cards the IFR caps are identical. On Commercial cards, Mastercard tends to apply slightly lower rates than Visa (around 0.1-0.2% less). If your business receives many payments with Mastercard corporate cards, your average cost could be lower than with Visa.
Premium and Corporate cards remain excluded from the cap and cost significantly more than consumer cards.
How to optimize Mastercard costs
Choose IC++: With transparent pricing (RoxPay) you pay the real Interchange plus a fixed markup. On European B2C volumes you often save 40-60% compared to flat rates.
Scheme Fee: Mastercard applies a Scheme Fee typically around 0.12% (slightly lower than Visa). With IC++ you see this line item on your invoice too.
Perguntas frequentes
Are Mastercard rates the same as Visa?
For consumer cards in the EU yes: both networks comply with IFR caps (0.20% debit, 0.30% credit). For commercial cards Mastercard tends to be slightly cheaper.
Where do I find official Mastercard rates for my country?
Mastercard Europe publishes PDFs with country-by-country rates on their regulatory site. Rates can vary by merchant category (MCC) and transaction type (chip, contactless, e-commerce).
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