A $167.5M ATM surcharge settlement is a headline legal event for Visa/MA, but the fund size relative to these companies suggests limited direct earnings impact; more likely modest sentiment/volatility rather than a major financial catalyst.
Personal Finance / Banking Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure . Visa, Mastercard $167.
5 million settlement could mean money for ATM users. Who qualifies. Hal Bundrick, CFP® · Senior Writer Fri, September 18, 2026 at 7:41 PM GMT+2 2 min read Visa and Mastercard ATM cash withdrawals spanning roughly 19 years are part of a class-action lawsuit settlement totaling $167.
5 million. The case, known as Burke v. Visa Inc.
, involves independent ATMs often found in convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores, hotels, and bars — non-bank locations that often levy surcharges on cash withdrawals. Here's who is eligible for a cash payment as part of the settlement. Read more: Just received a settlement?
5 smart ways to use the money. What is the class-action lawsuit about? The legal complaint claimed that cardholders nationwide paid excessive ATM fees that were not fully reimbursed, violating federal and state antitrust laws.
The lawsuit covers ATM cash withdrawals over nearly two decades, from Oct. 24, 2007, to Aug. 14, 2026.
Court documents allege that independent ATM operators were not allowed to charge cardholders a lower fee by using card networks other than Visa and Mastercard. "If permitted to do so, ATM operators would have an economic incentive to pass on to customers the benefit of using the lower-cost, higher net revenue 'rival networks' in the form of lower, or discounted, access fees," the claim stated. Visa ( V ) and Mastercard ( MA ) opted to settle the case without admitting liability.
The settlement also covers separate, state-specific classes of claimants in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Who is eligible to receive the settlement? Eligibility includes claimants who used a Visa or Mastercard to withdraw cash from a deposit account using an independent ATM (not owned by a financial institution) in the U.
S. and were charged a surcharge or access fee that the cardholder's bank did not fully reimburse. Transactions must have been made between Oct.
24, 2007, and Aug. 14, 2026. How much will the settlement pay?
The $167. 5 million settlement fund will pay attorneys' fees and expenses, administrative costs, taxes, and payouts to eligible class members. The amount of cash payments to eligible cardholders will depend on the number of valid claims filed.
Deadline to file a claim Claim forms may be submitted at www. nonbankatmsurchargesettlement. com .
The submission deadline is Feb. 10, 2027. You may also exclude yourself or object to the settlement at the same web address.
Payments will be issued following a final court hearing in early 2027. Read More What the $38 billion Visa, Mastercard swipe fee settlement means for credit card users A judge has preliminarily approved a $38 billion Visa-Mastercard settlement with merchants over swipe fees. If finalized, it could affect card acceptance, surcharges, and merchant costs.
Tesla owners in California have until Sept. 25 to claim this settlement money Here's who may qualify for a cash payout and how to file a claim in the Tesla "idle fees" class action settlement. Blue Cross Blue Shield to issue $2.
67 billion settlement payments: See if you're eligible Blue Cross Blue Shield is set to start issuing payments from a $2. 67 billion class-action settlement. Who gets paid and how much?
Second Facebook privacy settlement payment is coming. Who qualifies? Another payment is on the way to Facebook users eligible for a cash settlement in a $725 million class-action lawsuit related to privacy issues.
Amazon Prime $2. 5 billion FTC settlement: Are you eligible for a refund? Customers who were enrolled in Amazon Prime without their knowledge or consent may be eligible for a settlement payout.
Capital One $425 million settlement payouts to customers 'substantially delayed' after appeal Capital One customers awaiting a payout from the $425 million class-action settlement could face a delay of a year or longer.
Oraklio AI Trading Intelligence
Oraklio turns news, price data, and market signals into structured BUY / SELL / NO_TRADE calls - updated continuously throughout the trading day.
Get started freeAlready have an account? Sign in →