Articles on Fees & costs
Interchange, scheme fees, gateway margin, and store commissions: what charging really costs.
17 articles
Stablecoin cards: 4 updates on global payments and taxes
Learn how stablecoin cards, unified payment APIs, the expected Verifactu delay to 2028, and operational savings impact European digital businesses.
Cross-border settlement friction, reusable verification, and e-commerce employment standards
European payments navigate cross-border operational hurdles and advances in reusable identity verification, while e-commerce confronts compliance with labour frameworks.
AI risk models, mobile card personalization, and digital money according to the ECB
Plaid unveils AI tools to mitigate fraud and payment risk, Wells Fargo introduces debit card customization in its app, and the European Central Bank addresses tokenization.
Embedded finance in operational software and new supervisory decisions
BMO and Mastercard embed virtual commercial cards into business platforms, the ECB issues governance decisions, and a case highlights unmonitored contract risks.
Mid-cycle plan changes: proration, immediate charges, and invoice transparency
We explore the mechanics of subscription proration, the operational trade-offs between instant and deferred billing, and how to display charges clearly.
Unit costs in micropayments, stablecoin settlement trials, and cross-border instant rails
Merchant friction over transaction fees in low-value sales highlights margin pressure, while banking institutions deploy Swift instant schemes and stablecoin settlement pilots.
Passkey-driven agentic purchases, cloud instant payments, and stablecoin fee pressure
Autonomous commerce takes its first steps in Europe as instant rail rollouts and digital assets reshape traditional banking revenues.
Apple Pay and Google Pay without the marketing: network tokens and fraud reduction
Far from simple digital wallets, Apple Pay and Google Pay rely on network tokens and dynamic cryptograms. We examine their technical mechanics and fraud impact.
What changes with PSD3 and the PSR: spoofing fraud, refunds, and transparency
The EU's updated payment framework splits its rules between a directive and a directly applicable regulation. Here is what it means for merchants, gateways, and consumers dealing with social engineering fraud.
Free versus paid trial periods: technical impact on conversion, payment failures, and churn
Choosing between a free or paid trial alters sign-up rates, card processing workflows, payment failure frequency, and exposure to dispute costs.
The hidden cost of failed payments: return fees, retries, and lost customers
When a recurring transaction fails or a customer disputes a charge, the problem goes far beyond unpaid invoices. Direct processing fees, operational overhead, and involuntary churn multiply the true financial impact.
Bizum, card, or bank transfer: which method to offer and what each one costs
We analyse the operational differences, processing fees, fraud risks, and settlement times of cards, Bizum, and bank transfers for an online store in Spain.
Friendly fraud: when cardholders dispute legitimate charges and the evidence that defeats them
Friendly fraud occurs when genuine customers dispute real purchases with their banks. We examine how this mechanism works, the evidence regulations require, and how to contest unjustified claims.
Flat rate or interchange++: which payment gateway pricing model is cheaper for your sales
Choosing between a flat rate and interchange++ determines whether you overpay on transaction fees. We examine how card types and European regulations shape the final cost.
Cancelling a subscription in one click: consumer regulations and the true cost of retention tricks
Obstructing digital subscription cancellations not only breaches European consumer law, but also drives bank chargebacks. We examine what the rules demand and how to design clean cancellations.
Refunds and chargebacks: managing disputes to protect your online business
Understanding the difference between refunds and chargebacks is crucial for any e-commerce business. We analyze deadlines, necessary documentation, and effective strategies to reduce dispute rates, minimizing losses and optimizing your business operations.
In-app payments: what the store takes, and when you can charge outside it
App Store and Google Play commissions don't apply to everything you sell from an app. The dividing line is what kind of product you deliver, and knowing where your case falls decides whether you pay 15%, 30%, or your own gateway's fee.