Understanding the changes to card surcharging in Australia

What's changing?

From 1 October 2026, the card schemes (Visa, Mastercard, and others) are prohibiting surcharging on card payments, a position the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has not opposed. This means businesses will no longer be able to add an extra fee to cover the cost of accepting card payments, whether the payment is made in person, online, or via mobile wallet.

No action is required from you, Pinch will remove the ability to surcharge on your account in line with this change.

Why is Pinch also removing Direct Debit surcharging?

This change applies to card payments only, it does not require changes to Direct Debit. We've made the decision to remove Direct Debit surcharging as well, so that surcharging is removed consistently across all payment methods on Pinch.

What this means for you?

You don't need to do anything to prepare. Pinch will switch off surcharging on your account automatically from 1 October 2026.
In the lead up to 1 October, you may notice the surcharge option in your Pinch account is greyed out and can no longer be applied.
Nothing else changes about how you get paid. Only the ability to add a surcharge is affected.

Key dates

Now until 30 September 2026	Business as usual, surcharging continues to work as it does today.
From 1 October 2026	Surcharging is switched off for all card payments and Direct Debit payments.

What should I do to prepare?

While no action is required, you may want to:

Review your pricing so that the cost of accepting payments is built into your prices, rather than added on as a surcharge.
Review any customer agreements or contracts that reference surcharging, and update them if needed.

FAQs

Does this affect all card types?

Yes. The surcharging change applies across card payments made in person, online, or via mobile wallet.

Does this apply to my New Zealand account?

No. This change applies to Australian Pinch accounts. If you also operate in New Zealand, your NZ account is not affected by this change.

Does the surcharge cutoff depend on when a payment is submitted, or when it settles?

A payment submitted on or before 30 September can still be surcharged, even if it settles on or after 1 October.

What happens to my existing subscriptions or payment plans if they currently include a surcharge?

We're finalising how existing surcharged subscriptions will be handled and will share more detail before 1 October 2026.

Do I need to change anything in my account settings?

No. Pinch will switch off surcharging on your account automatically. There's nothing for you to configure.

Still have questions?

Get in touch with our support team and we'd be happy to help!