Visa Interchange Fees in European Union Countries
Interchange Fees are the commission that the card-issuing bank retains on every transaction. Visa 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. Below is the consultable table of Visa interchange fees applied in EU countries.
Visa 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 | 0.80% - 1.20% | Variable | No cap |
| Commercial Credit | Business cards | 1.40% - 2.10% | Variable | No cap |
| Premium/Corporate | Executive cards | 1.80% - 2.50% | Variable | No cap |
Source: EU IFR Regulation, Visa rates. Updated 2026. Commercial rates vary by country and merchant category. Intra-EEA = transactions where issuer and acquirer are in the European Economic Area.
What is Visa Interchange Fee and who pays it
The Interchange Fee is the portion that the bank that issued the card (e.g. Intesa Sanpaolo, N26) retains on every transaction. Visa and Mastercard 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 (Interchange Fee Regulation) has imposed a maximum cap 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. If an American tourist pays with their US card in your Italian store, the cap does not apply and fees can exceed 2%.
Why Commercial cards cost more
Corporate, Business and Premium cards are excluded from the IFR cap. Visa applies significantly higher rates (often between 1.4% and 2.5%) because these cards offer business benefits (insurance, reimbursements, reporting) and the issuing bank bears higher costs.
If your e-commerce receives many B2B payments with corporate cards, your average Interchange cost will be higher than a B2C store with private customers.
How to optimize Visa 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.
Incentivize local methods: For extra-EU customers, offer Open Banking (A2A) or local schemes to avoid the high Visa fees on international cards.
Perguntas frequentes
Do Visa rates change often?
Visa typically updates Interchange rate sheets twice a year (April and October). Changes to EU consumer caps are rare; commercial card rates may change more frequently.
Where do I find official Visa rates for my country?
Visa Europe publishes PDFs with country-by-country rates. They are complex technical documents. The table above summarizes indicative ranges for the EU/EEA area.
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