Visa and Mastercard threatened with potential £5bn UK lawsuit over card fees

Summary

Law firms Harcus Parker and Hausfeld have lodged an application at the Competition Appeal Tribunal seeking a potential £5bn group claim against Visa and Mastercard. The firms allege that the card companies stifled competition and charged UK businesses excessive fees on customer card payments since October 2020. The claim would seek compensation for companies that were allegedly overcharged. These are the law firms' allegations, and the reporting does not include a response from Visa or Mastercard.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   26 Oct 2026, 15:30 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Harcus Parker and Hausfeld have lodged an application at the Competition Appeal Tribunal for a potential £5bn group claim against Visa and Mastercard, alleging they stifled competition and overcharged UK businesses on customer card payments since October 2020.