Mastercard's new specialty merchant fees: what they are, who gets billed, and what to ask your processor

If your processing statement looks different lately, or your processor mentioned a new fee, you may be wondering whether this applies to you. The short answer: it depends on your category, your processor, and your contract. Here's what Mastercard's bulletin says, what it doesn't say, and how to get clear answers in writing.

1. What Mastercard changed

Mastercard's bulletin 12568.1, published 28 October 2025, revised its specialty merchant program and introduced new fees. Per the bulletin:

• A $1,000 annual registration fee per merchant.
• A $0.02 per-transaction fee.
• A 0.10% (10 basis point) volume fee.
• A $50,000 annual license fee for acquirers, the banks and processors behind your account.

These are the network's fees as the bulletin sets them out. They are not what any particular merchant will pay.

2. Who gets billed

Mastercard bills these fees to acquirers. Whether any of it reaches a merchant, and how, is up to each processor and the merchant's contract.

3. Which merchants this touches

Specialty or high-risk categories, as Mastercard's program classifies them. Whether your business is covered depends on how it's classified, so ask your processor. Don't assume you're in or out.

4. Dates

The bulletin sets 1 May 2026 for the registration and license fees, and 3 June 2026 for the transaction and volume fees, with first billing on 14 June 2026.

Some processors pass fees on to merchants later, for example starting in October 2026. So the date you see a change depends on your processor.

5. What new line items could look like on a statement

There are three kinds of charge, and each scales differently:

• Registration: a flat charge, once a year.
• Per-transaction: added to every sale.
• Volume: a share of your sales, so it grows as you sell more.

Processors label things in their own way. A pass-through could show up as its own line, or be built into your rate with no new line at all. If you see a line you don't recognize, ask what it is and what it's based on.

6. Why your cost may have gone up

These fees are one possible reason. Others include:

• Changes to your reserve.
• Chargeback levels.
• Rate changes.
• Contract terms, like renewals, minimums, or fee schedule updates.

Don't assume it's this one. Looking at the whole picture helps you find the real cause.

7. What to ask your processor, in writing

Ask by email or in a support ticket so you have a record:

1. Does this apply to my business and category?
2. Which of these charges are passed to me, and from what date?
3. Is it a separate line, or built into my rate?
4. What else changed on my statement?
5. Can I get the full fee schedule itemized in writing before I sign or renew?

8. How to read an offer or a statement

Look at rates, transaction fees, reserves, payout timing, and contract terms together, not just the headline rate. A low rate can sit alongside pass-through fees. Put offers side by side with the same items listed.

9. How Find a Processor can help

It's free, and you talk to a real person. We help you compare offers and understand the fine print. We're not a processor and our form isn't an application. Every placement needs the provider's review, and no outcome is guaranteed. Start at findaprocessor.co.

10. FAQ

What are the new Mastercard specialty merchant fees? Mastercard's bulletin 12568.1 sets a $1,000 annual registration fee per merchant, a $0.02 per-transaction fee, a 0.10% volume fee, and a $50,000 annual license fee for acquirers. Mastercard bills these to acquirers. Whether they reach you is up to your processor.

Does my business pay them? That depends on whether Mastercard's program classifies your business as a specialty or high-risk category, and on whether your processor passes any of it on. Ask them directly, and ask for the answer in writing.

Why did my high-risk processing cost go up? This could be one reason, but it may not be. Reserves, chargebacks, rate changes, and contract terms can also change a bill. Compare the whole statement.

What should I ask my processor to itemize? Which charges apply to you, from what date, whether each is its own line or built into your rate, and anything else that changed. Get all of it in writing.

This article is general information, not legal, financial, or compliance advice. Check the terms with your own processor.