Visa, Mastercard Agree to Pay $167.5M Over ATM Fees

A class action settlement covers customers charged fees for withdrawing cash at nonbank ATMs in the United States.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Banking

Plain dark-gray cash kiosk with a blank unlit screen beside a red-brick wall on a concrete sidewalk under flat daylight, evoking everyday ATM access. — Visa and Mastercard agreed to pay $167.5 million to settle a class action alleging they blocked independent ATM operators from charging lower access fees to cash customers. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Visa and Mastercard agreed to pay $167.5 million to settle a class action alleging they violated federal and state antitrust laws by preventing independent ATM operators from charging lower access fees. Neither party has admitted wrongdoing.

Why it matters

The settlement offers potential payments to customers who paid Visa access fees at nonbank ATMs, a cost many consumers may not have tracked. Affected customers must file a claim to receive a share of the fund.

The settlement fund totals $167.5 million, and payments are proportional to the number of valid claims filed. Individual payout amounts will not be set until after claims are processed.

The players

Visa

Visa is a global payments technology company that operates one of the largest card networks in the world.

Mastercard

Mastercard is a multinational financial services company that operates a global card payment network.

The details

The class action covers customers charged a Visa access fee to withdraw cash at an ATM not owned by a bank in the United States. Credit card transactions, cash advances and prepaid card transactions are excluded, and claimants must not have been fully reimbursed by their bank.

October 24, 2007: Start of the eligible transaction period.
August 14, 2026: End of the eligible transaction period.
December 11, 2026: Deadline to exclude oneself or object to the settlement.
February 10, 2027: Deadline to submit a claim.
February 17, 2027: Final hearing before payments are distributed.

Market Dynamics

The case centers on whether card networks unlawfully restricted competition under U.S. antitrust law by limiting how independent ATM operators could price access fees. The settlement resolves those allegations without a court finding of liability.

Customers who withdrew cash from independent ATMs and paid a Visa access fee may file a claim online or by mail without submitting supporting documents. Claims can be sent to the settlement administrator in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by the deadline.

The takeaway

If you withdrew cash from a nonbank ATM and paid a Visa access fee since 2007, check whether you qualify and file before February 10, 2027. Keep any bank records that show the fees, although documentation is not required to file.

What happens next

Claims must be submitted by February 10, 2027, and the final hearing on payments takes place February 17, 2027. The exclusion and objection deadline is December 11, 2026.