MasterCard interchange rates are established by MasterCard, and are generally paid by acquirers to card issuers on purchase transactions conducted on MasterCard® cards. Interchange rates are only one of many cost components included in a MDR, and are a necessary and efficient method by which MasterCard maintains a strong and vibrant payments network. MasterCard strives to maximize the value of the MasterCard system, including the dollar volume spent on MasterCard cards, the number and types of MasterCard cards in circulation, and the number and types of merchants accepting MasterCard cards, by setting default interchange rates at levels that balance the benefits and costs to both cardholders and merchants.
