MSC Definition.

Merchant Service Charge: the total fee a merchant pays its acquirer. It is made up of interchange (passed on to the issuer), scheme fees (passed on to the network), and the acquirer’s markup. In France it ranges from under 0.2% for large grocery chains on CB to more than 1.5% for a small online merchant taking international cards. Its structure is negotiated as either blended or Interchange++ pricing.

See also

→ Interchange→ Scheme fees→ Interchange++

Where this term appears

GuideThe four-party modelGuideThe role of banksGuideMerchant, acquirer, PSPGuidePayment schemesGuidePayment regulationGuidePayments in the Gulf and the Middle EastGuidePayments in NigeriaGuideInterchange and merchant pricing around the worldGuideDomestic card schemes around the worldGuidePayment provider pricing modelsGuidePayment cardsGuideApple Pay, Google Pay, and other wallets

All 151 glossary terms · All guides