From October 1, 2026, Australians will no longer pay a fee for debit, prepaid and credit payments using eftpos, Mastercard and Visa cards. The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates the change could save consumers around A$1.6 billion a year.
The case for change sounds simple enough: one price, no add-ons, no surprises at the end of a transaction.
But credit card companies, banks, restaurants and others are already warning they could raise fees and prices in other areas once card surcharges are banned.
