Set by Mastercard
Interchange rates are determined by Mastercard and apply equally to all processors and acquirers. No processor can negotiate a lower interchange rate.
Mastercard Interchange Rates USA.
Mastercard is one of the most commonly held and accepted credit cards in the US and around the world. Below is a full breakdown of Mastercard's current US interchange rates — the base cost charged by the cardholder's bank on every transaction. At Helcim, we pass these rates directly to you with our transparent Interchange Plus pricing.
Multiple Tiers
Rates vary by card type (Consumer, Infinite, Corporate), how the card is entered (chip, keyed, online), and the merchant category.
Full Transparency
With Interchange Plus, you see the exact interchange cost on your statement. Helcim only adds a small, transparent margin on top.
United States
Mastercard Credit Card Interchange Rates
These are the base interchange rates charged by the cardholder's bank on every Mastercard credit transaction in the United States. The rate depends on how the card is presented (swiped, keyed, or online) and the card tier (Consumer, Enhanced, World, World Elite, or Corporate).
Card Type
Interchange Rate
Card-Present (Chip / Tap / Swipe)
Transactions where the physical card is present at the point of sale — includes chip-insert, contactless tap, and magnetic swipe. These typically have the lowest interchange rates because they carry less fraud risk.
MC Consumer
1.650% + $0.10
MC Enhanced
1.800% + $0.10
MC World
1.900% + $0.10
MC World Elite
2.300% + $0.10
MC Corporate
2.700% + $0.10
MC Corporate Level 2
2.250% + $0.10
MC Corporate Level 3
1.900% + $0.10
Keyed (Card-Not-Present)
The card number is manually keyed into a terminal, POS, or online checkout. These carry higher rates than card-present due to increased fraud risk.
MC Keyed Consumer
1.950% + $0.10
MC Keyed Enhanced
2.100% + $0.10
MC Keyed World
2.200% + $0.10
MC Keyed World Elite
2.600% + $0.10
MC Keyed Corporate
2.700% + $0.10
MC Keyed Corporate Level 2
2.250% + $0.10
MC Keyed Corporate Level 3
1.900% + $0.10
Mastercard Debit Card Interchange Rates
Mastercard Debit cards have a separate interchange schedule from credit cards. Regulated debit cards (issued by banks with over $10 billion in assets) are capped under the Durbin Amendment at 0.05% + $0.22.
Card Type
Interchange Rate
Card-Present
Debit transactions where the physical card is present at the terminal.
MC Debit
1.050% + $0.15
MC Debit Regulated
0.050% + $0.22
MC Debit Prepaid
1.150% + $0.15
MC Debit Corporate Level 2
2.100%
Keyed (Card-Not-Present)
Debit transactions where the card number is entered manually or online.
MC Debit Keyed
1.650% + $0.15
MC Debit Keyed Regulated
0.050% + $0.22
MC Debit Keyed Prepaid
1.760% + $0.20
MC Debit Corporate Level 2
2.100%
Commercial (Level 3) Credit Interchange Rates
When you submit full line-item detail (Level 3 data) with a commercial card transaction, Mastercard rewards you with lower interchange rates. Rates are split across five Program Levels based on the cardholder's annual spend — something outside your control — but providing Level 3 data unlocks the best available rate at every level.
Card Program Level
Data Rate 2 (Level 3 Optimized)
Data Rate 2 — Level 3 Optimized
Providing full Level 3 details (line-item data) unlocks the lower Data Rate 2 pricing tier across all card program levels.
Level 1
1.90% + $0.10
Level 2
2.05% + $0.10
Level 3
2.10% + $0.10
Level 4
2.20% + $0.10
Level 5
2.25% + $0.10
Large Ticket (High-Value B2B Transactions)
For large B2B sales, Mastercard features an additional optimization tier called Large Ticket. To qualify, you must pass all required Level 3 data fields and meet a minimum ticket threshold (typically $7,255 or higher). The percentage rate drops sharply while the flat fee increases, protecting your margin on large invoices.
Level 1 Large Ticket
1.20% + $35.00
Level 2 Large Ticket
1.36% + $35.00
Level 3 Large Ticket
1.41% + $35.00
Level 4 Large Ticket
1.51% + $35.00
Charities Rates
Mastercard offers reduced interchange rates for qualifying charitable and non-profit organizations. These apply to both debit and credit card donations processed by eligible merchants.
Card Type
Interchange Rate
MC Charity Debit (non-regulated)
1.450% + $0.15
MC Charity Credit
2.000% + $0.10
International Rates
Applied when the cardholder's bank is in a different country than the merchant. International transactions always carry higher rates due to cross-border processing and currency conversion risk.
Card Type
Interchange Rate
MC International
1.100%
MC International Keyed
1.650%
MC International Premium
1.900%
MC International Super Premium
2.030%
Assessments & Association Fees
In addition to interchange, Mastercard charges network-level fees (assessments) on every transaction. These fees are set by Mastercard and apply uniformly to all payment processors. They cover the cost of operating the Mastercard network, fraud prevention programs, and cross-border settlement.
Fee Name
Amount
MC Card-Brand (Under $1,000)
0.1400%
MC Card-Brand (Over $1,000)
0.1500%
MC ALF (Acquirer License Fee)
0.0080%
MC NABU (Network Brand Usage Fee)
$0.0295
MC Digital Enablement Fee
0.0200% ($0.02 min)
MC MOTO Fee
0.0150%
MC Intl Cross-Border Support
0.8500%
MC International Cross-Border
0.6000%
MC Non-Local Currency Fee
0.1000%
MC Per Location Annual Fee
$1.25/month
Notes
Above are the most common interchange qualifications. For a complete list of US interchange rates, visit the Mastercard website below.
Transparent pricing. Always.
With Interchange Plus pricing, you see exactly what goes to the card network and what goes to Helcim. No hidden markups, no bundled rates, no surprises on your statement.
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Interchange Plus Pricing
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