Card Regions and Fees
In this article, you will learn what Mastercard and Visa mean by domestic, intraregional, and interregional transactions and how these impact merchant fees.
Last updated
In this article, you will learn what Mastercard and Visa mean by domestic, intraregional, and interregional transactions and how these impact merchant fees.
Last updated
© Payrexx. All rigths reserved.
Card networks such as Mastercard and Visa divide the world into various regions. Depending on where the merchant is located and the country in which the customer's credit card was issued, different transaction fees apply.
Generally, the following types of transactions are distinguished:
The merchant's country matches the country where the credit card was issued.
A card issued in Switzerland is used at a merchant in Switzerland.
A card issued in Austria is used at a merchant in Austria.
A card issued in the United States is used at a merchant in the United States.
Domestic transactions generally incur the lowest fees due to lower regulatory and operational costs.
The merchant's country does not match the country where the credit card was issued. Both countries are within the European Economic Area (EEA).
The fee amount usually falls between those of domestic and inter-regional transactions.
The merchant's country and the country where the credit card was issued are neither in the same country nor in the same region.
Interregional transactions incur the highest fees due to additional risks and higher processing requirements.
The European Economic Area (EEA) includes the following 30 countries:
A card issued in Austria is used at a merchant in Italy.
A card issued in France is used at a merchant in Germany.
A card issued in Cyprus is used at a merchant in Denmark.
A card issued in Switzerland is used at a merchant in Germany.
A card issued in Austria is used at a merchant in Switzerland.
A card issued in the United States is used at a merchant in Germany.
A card issued in the United Kingdom is used at a merchant in Italy.
Since Switzerland is not a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), payments made with credit cards issued in these countries are classified as inter-regional transactions.
Domestic Transactions: Merchant and credit card in the same country
Fees: $
Intraregional Transactions: Merchant and credit card in the same region
Fees: $$
International Transactions: Merchant and credit card in different regions
Fees: $$$
Austria
Denmark
Hungary
Lithuania
Portugal
Belgium
Estonia
Iceland
Luxembourg
Romania
Bulgaria
Finland
Ireland
Malta
Slovakia
Croatia
France
Italy
Netherlands
Slovenia
Cyprus
Germany
Latvia
Norway
Spain
Czechia
Greece
Liechtenstein
Poland
Sweden