- December 2020
- December 2019
- June 2019
Card Brand Updates
Card brands including American Express, Discover, Interac, JCB, Mastercard, Union Pay and Visa continuously update their interchange rate and fee structures for specific categories. We will regularly communicate these updates on this page.
UPDATED DECEMBER 2020
Interac
Effective April 1, 2021, the Interac Switch Fee assessment will increase from $0.0096 to $0.0101.
Discover
Effective April 1, 2021, the Discover Network Authorization Fee will increase from $0 to $0.0214.
Effective April 1, 2021, Discover will be implementing the following changes to domestic interchange rates.
Interchange Rate |
Interchange Rate |
|||
October 2020 |
April 2021 |
|||
Discover Interchange Category |
Shrt Desc |
Chg Type |
% Rate |
% Rate |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Rewards |
RECURE R |
2717 |
1.45% |
1.15% |
Disc Can Dom Supermarket Rewards |
SPRMRKT R |
2718 |
1.42% |
1.00% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Rewards |
PETROL R |
2719 |
1.27% |
1.00% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Rewards |
RETAIL R |
2720 |
1.60% |
1.15% |
Disc Can Dom Base Rewards |
BASE R |
2723 |
1.72% |
1.55% |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Premium |
RECURE P |
2727 |
1.70% |
1.30% |
Disc Can Dom Supermarket Premium |
SPRMRKT P |
2728 |
1.65% |
1.22% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Premium |
PETROL P |
2729 |
1.50% |
1.25% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Premium |
RETAIL P |
2730 |
1.98% |
1.30% |
Disc Can Dom Base Premium |
BASE P |
2733 |
2.10% |
1.82% |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Prem Plus |
RECURE PP |
2737 |
2.10% |
1.70% |
Disc Can Dom Supermrkt PremPlus |
SPRMRKT PP |
2738 |
2.00% |
1.64% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Prem Plus |
PETROL PP |
2739 |
2.00% |
1.64% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Prem Plus |
RETAIL PP |
2740 |
2.25% |
1.75% |
Disc Can Dom Base Prem Plus |
BASE PP |
2743 |
2.60% |
2.35% |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Debit |
RECURE D |
2747 |
1.20% |
0.45% |
Disc Can Dom Supermrkt Debit |
SPRMRKT D |
2748 |
1.20% |
0.35% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Debit |
PETROL D |
2749 |
1.20% |
0.35% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Debit |
RETAIL D |
2750 |
1.20% |
0.45% |
Disc Can Dom Base Debit |
BASE D |
2753 |
1.20% |
1.15% |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Prepaid |
RECURE PD |
2757 |
1.49% |
1.40% |
Disc Can Dom Supermrkt Prepaid |
SPRMRKT PD |
2758 |
1.49% |
1.43% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Prepaid |
PETROL PD |
2759 |
1.49% |
1.20% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Prepaid |
RETAIL PD |
2760 |
1.49% |
1.43% |
Disc Can Dom Base Prepaid |
BASE PD |
2763 |
1.49% |
1.55% |
Disc Can Dom Recurring Comm |
RECURECOM |
2767 |
2.20% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Supermarket Comm |
SPRMRKTCOM |
2768 |
2.15% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Petroleum Comm |
PETROLCOM |
2769 |
2.15% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Retail Comm |
RETAILCOM |
2770 |
2.25% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Base Comm |
BASE COM |
2773 |
2.65% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr1 Debit |
CR VCHR1 D |
2754 |
1.20% |
1.10% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr1 Prepaid |
CR VCHR1PD |
2764 |
1.49% |
1.58% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr1 Rewards |
CR VCHR1 R |
2724 |
1.72% |
1.58% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr1 Premium |
CR VCHR1 P |
2734 |
2.10% |
1.85% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr1 Prem Plus |
CR VCHR1PP |
2744 |
2.60% |
2.49% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr1 Comm |
CRVCHR1COM |
2774 |
2.65% |
2.00% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr3 Debit |
CR VCHR3 D |
2756 |
1.20% |
1.15% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr3 Prepaid |
CR VCHR3PD |
2766 |
1.49% |
1.32% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr3 Rewards |
CR VCHR3 R |
2726 |
1.42% |
1.32% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr3 Premium |
CR VCHR3 P |
2736 |
1.65% |
1.45% |
Disc Can Dom Cr Vchr3 Prem Plus |
CR VCHR3PP |
2746 |
2.00% |
1.96% |
Disc Can Dom Credit Vchr3 Comm |
CRVCHR3COM |
2776 |
2.15% |
2.00% |
Visa
Effective April 16, 2021, Visa will introduce new fees for data consistency and for excess re-attempts of transactions. Customers that re-attempt an authorization 15 times or more within a 30-day period, or that attempt a key-entered transaction with no Electronic Commerce Indicator (ECI) will be subject to the following fees:
$0.10 per attempt on a domestic transaction
$0.15 per attempt on a cross-border transaction
Effective April 16, 2020, the Visa International Acquirer Service Fee will increase for both Canadian currency and issuer (home) currency transactions based on the following:
Assessment Category |
Shrt Desc |
Chg Type |
Current Rate |
New Rate |
Int'l Acq Service Fee |
V IASF |
217 |
0.4520% |
0.6780% |
Int'l Acq Service Fee - Issuer Currency |
V IASF ISS |
218 |
0.9040% |
1.1300% |
Int'l Cash Advance Acq Service Fee |
CA IASF |
219 |
0.4520% |
0.6780% |
Int'l Cash Acq Service Fee - Issuer Currency |
CA IASFISS |
220 |
0.4520% |
1.1300% |
INTL ACQ SERVICE CNP FEE ISSUE |
V IASF CNP |
188 |
0.9605% |
1.1300% |
Card brands including American Express, Discover, Interac, JCB, Mastercard, Union Pay and Visa continuously update their fee structures for specific categories. We will regularly communicate these updates on this page.
Updated December 2019
Interac
Effective April 1, 2020
- Switch fee assessment increases from $0.00904 to $0.009605
Mastercard
Effective May 1, 2020
- 3D Secure (3DS) Assessment Fee Changes (per transaction):
- 3DS MC Identity Check increases to $.05
- 3DS 2.0 at 0.0113% + $0.113 (All 3D Secure transactions will receive this assessment)
- 3DS Data Only (No issuer participation) at $0
- Introducing a new Excessive Fraud Data Integrity fees for e-commerce transactions. Merchants who meet the following criteria are subject to compliance action and fees:
- Minimum of 1,000 e-commerce transactions in clearing
- Monthly fraud is greater than $50,000 USD
- Monthly fraud is more than 50 bps
- Penetration of 3DS and/or Data Only transactions is less 10% of total card-not-present volume

- Introduction of International Super Premium Categories in Canada:
- IRD EE—Interregional Consumer Super Premium Electronic
- IRD EF—Interregional Consumer Super Premium Full UCAF
- IRD EM—Interregional Consumer Super Premium Merchant UCAF
- IRD ES—Interregional Consumer Super Premium Standard
- These will include the following products (GCMS Product ID): MCW, MWE, MDH, MDW, MNW, MUW, MWD, MWR, TCW, TNW, TWB, WBE, MBW, MBK, MWP, WPD, MFB, MFE, MSP. These will be defined as Commercial Non-Qual for tiered merchants

- Revised Interchange Programs in Canada:
- Restructure of the Consumer Credit interchange programs. Complete replacement of prior program (including removal of the CFIB rates) with new structure. This includes 10 Interchange Categories and 4 card types. Muse is a new super premium card type being introduced for the first time. For tiered programs, Muse will be classified in the Commercial Non-Qual bucket. New and Revised Intracountry Interchange Programs:

- Revised interchange categories and rates on commercial programs

Effective May 4th, 2020
- Fixed Acquirer Access Fee change from 0.008% to $0.0103 per transaction
Visa
Effective April 1, 2020
- International Acquirer Service Assessment Fee increases for both Canadian currency and Issuer (home) currency transactions

Effective April 18, 2020
- Reductions to Domestic Consumer Interchange Rates. Visa is introducing numerous rate changes to its existing interchange categories
- Modifications to Interchange Categories:
- Introduction of 3 new categories: Performance Program—CNP, Industry Program—Utilities (removed from Tier 1), Emerging Segments—Preferred
- Elimination of 1 category (Performance Program—Tier 2)
- Changes to Emerging Segment: removal of Electronic and Recurring, addition of Card Not Present to qualification criteria
Visa Domestic Interchange Rates

Card brands including American Express, Discover, Interac, JCB, Mastercard, Union Pay and Visa continuously update their fee structures for specific categories. We will regularly communicate these updates on this page.
Updated June 2019
Visa
Effective October 18, 2019, the Merchant Category Code (MCC) 8661 – Religious Organizations – will be added to Visa’s Emerging Rate program. Emerging segment rates (which are lower than standard rates) will be available for transactions processed with this MCC.
Mastercard
- Effective October 18, 2019, Mastercard will update its interchange rate for international refund/return transactions to:
- 1.00% for transactions with consumer product codes
- 1.80% for transactions with commercial product codes
- Effective October 19, 2019, Mastercard will eliminate its Cross-Border, L2 and Large Ticket interchange categories. A summary of the eliminated charge types and the new charge types is available on the back side of this letter
- Effective November 1, 2019, Mastercard will begin including credit transactions (e.g. refunds, returns) into its calculation of the Current Volume Assessment in Canada.
- Effective November 4, 2019, Mastercard will introduce a Pre-Authorization Fee in Canada. A 0.05% fee will be added to authorizations that meet all of these conditions:
- The authorization is processed through the Mastercard Network;
- The authorization request is either fully or partially approved;
- The authorization is coded as a pre-authorization; and
- The authorization originates from a Canadian merchant account.
