Card Surcharges Banned in Australia: What It Means for Consumers and Businesses

Australia is set to ban card surcharges on major networks from October 1st, 2026. This means that businesses will no longer be able to add a percentage at the terminal for Visa, Mastercard, or EFTPOS payments.

According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, consumers are expected to save about $1.6 billion a year in surcharge fees, while businesses will save around $200 million.

However, experts warn that the removal of card surcharges may not necessarily result in lower prices for customers. In fact, some businesses may choose to raise their base prices to cover residual card fees or push customers towards alternative payment methods like bank transfers or cash.