Payment Card Settlement
Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement · In re Payment Card Interchange Fee & Merchant Discount Antitrust Litig., MDL 1720
The Visa/Mastercard interchange settlement — between $5.54 billion and $6.24 billion — covered businesses that accepted Visa or Mastercard between January 2004 and January 2019. The filing deadline has elapsed; VMC Group continues to support clients with claims already in process.
| Settlement fund | $5.54B–$6.24B — Court-approved fund |
|---|---|
| Class period | January 1, 2004 – January 25, 2019 |
| Defendants | Visa and Mastercard |
| Filing status | Claims deadline has elapsed — distributions in progress |
| Cost to file with VMC | $0 upfront — contingency only, paid from recovered funds |
On this page
The case
In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation (MDL 1720) alleged that Visa and Mastercard fixed interchange fees at anti-competitive levels in violation of U.S. antitrust law — one of the largest antitrust settlements in history.
The court approved a settlement of at least $5.54 billion, up to approximately $6.24 billion. The claims filing deadline has now elapsed. For clients who filed through VMC Group, we continue to manage the process through verification and payment.
Who qualifies
- All persons, businesses, and entities that accepted Visa-branded or Mastercard-branded cards in the United States between January 1, 2004 and January 25, 2019
- Excluding government entities, the defendants, and card-issuing financial institutions
Eligibility rules are set by the court and the claims administrator. The fastest way to know for sure is a free eligibility review — we'll tell you plainly whether you have a claim worth filing.
Current status
- For existing clients: no action needed — we track your claim through distribution
- If you filed elsewhere and need help with a deficiency notice, contact us
Official case information is available from the court-approved settlement website and the claims administrator. VMC Group is not the claims administrator and is not affiliated with the court; class members may always file directly at no cost.
Payment Card Settlement FAQs
I missed the payment card deadline. Is anything still possible?
The standard filing window has closed. In limited circumstances — deficiency cures or disputes on previously filed claims — there may still be work to do. Contact us and we'll review where your claim stands.
When will payment card settlement payments go out?
The administrator processes and verifies millions of claims; distributions are made in stages. Clients of VMC Group receive updates as their claims move through verification to payment.
Find out what your business is owed — in one call.
No upfront cost. No obligation. If you don't recover, you don't pay.