The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) has decided to adjust the maximum percentages for intermediation card fees for credit and debit card payments. For credit cards, the rates will be reduced to 4% starting July 1 of this year and to 3% starting July 2026.
For debit cards, the rates are 3% starting in July 2025 and 2% starting in July 2026.
The decision is based on a technical analysis conducted by the Deputy General Manager of Financial Operations and the Superintendency of Banks regarding the maximum percentage of commissions received by operators and issuers based on the total amount charged to participating merchants for payment intermediation services carried out through credit and debit cards.
The resolution is aimed at issuers and operators that provide intermediation services for electronic payments with credit and debit cards; operators are understood to be all entities that provide intermediation services for electronic payments with credit and/or debit cards, as well as those that participate in any stage of the intermediation process for said payments involving card fees, regardless of the means used or the functions they perform within said process.
The new maximum percentages for brokerage commissions will be implemented in a gradual reduction scheme that allows entities the necessary time for their implementation. Impact on trade and the economy
The BCP’s primary focus is on establishing appropriate mechanisms to encourage the efficient use of credit and debit cards, as they are payment methods that replace cash, while always ensuring an adequate framework for protecting financial consumers.
Reducing the maximum percentage of these card fees will have positive effects at various levels, according to the BCP:
• Promoting the use of electronic payment methods, reducing the use of physical money in the market and promoting electronic payments.
• Promoting financial inclusion by facilitating access to banking services for businesses and more sectors of the general population.
• Greater competitiveness and formalisation, promoting the diversification of payment options and encouraging the use of electronic payments through reduced fees. This contributes to transparency in commercial transactions and the formalisation of the sector.
In a statement, the BCP said they “will continue working on implementing policies that strengthen the stability of the financial system, promote the modernisation of payment methods in the country, and generate favorable conditions for trade, economic development, and financial inclusion.”
