Why does Twint charge small and large merchants different fees?

According to the expertise of the Swiss Retail Federation, the disparity depends on the contractual structure. Small merchants enter into direct contracts with Twint and receive a QR code, paying 1.3% per transaction. Large merchants have contracts with external payment service providers that receive a terminal, paying 0.59%. Twint argues that the comparison is “completely wrong and misleading” because the services and infrastructure are not identical, but the Swiss Retail Federation disputes this justification as insufficient.

What is COMCO and what powers does it have?

The Competition Commission (COMCO) is the Swiss federal body responsible for competition law. Investigates abuses of dominant position, restrictive competition agreements, mergers and unfair business practices. It can order formal investigations, impose corrective measures and sanction those who violate competition rules. In the Twint case, the Swiss Retail Federation filed a complaint last year, but COMCO has not yet opened a formal investigation file.

What is the difference between Twint commission and debit/credit card commissions?

Small merchants pay 1.3% for Twint, 0.33% for debit cards, and 0.68% for credit cards. Large merchants pay 0.59% per Twint. For Mastercard and Visa, standard European interchange fees range from 0.12 to 0.15%. Twint allows up to 2% in its general conditions. The disparity is obvious: the Twint fee for little ones is about three times that of debit cards.

Who owns Twint and how do they handle fees?

Twint is jointly controlled by seven entities: the banks BCV, Postfinance, Raiffeisen, UBS and Zürcher Kantonalbank; the provider Worldline; and the infrastructure operator six. The Swiss Retail Federation suspects that banks are the main beneficiaries of the current tariff structure, which would constitute a potential conflict of interest as the system owners also set the final fees.

Twint double commissions: open war with merchants (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 23 August 2026

Digital payment terminal and Twint QR code in a Swiss corner shop

A Swiss survey reveals that small stores pay 1.3% Twint commissions compared to 0.59% for large ones. The Swiss Retail Federation calls for federal intervention.

Context

In a nutshell

Small merchants pay 1.3% Twint commissions, large only 0.59%
Swiss Retail Federation has filed a complaint with COMCO for abuse of a dominant position
COMCO has not yet launched a formal investigation

Key facts

What: Disparity in Twint commissions between small and large merchants
When: Expertise presented last year to COMCO
Where: Switzerland, at the Federal Competition Commission
Who: Swiss Retail Federation and Twint (controlled by 7 shareholders)
Commissions: 1.3% small vs 0.59% large
Comparison: Debit cards 0.33%, credit cards 0.68%

An expert report prepared by the Swiss Retail Federation documents a systemic injustice that affects tens of thousands of small Swiss retailers: twice the commissions compared to large distributors when they accept Twint, the most popular digital payment method in the country.

Last year, the retail trade association filed a formal complaint with the Competition Commission (COMCO), the federal body responsible for unfair commercial practices. The report, seen by national media, documents a clear disparity. Small merchants who enter into a direct contract with Twint and receive a QR code normally pay 1.3% of the amount of each transaction. Large distributors who work through an external payment service provider and receive a dedicated terminal pay twint on average 0.59%

Operational details

Because this disparity is a problem for Switzerland

The issue goes beyond simple bank fees. If small Swiss retailers pay payment processors twice as much, those costs fall directly on the end consumer in the form of higher prices in local commerce. The paradox is clear: while the pandemic has accelerated the digitization of payments and today many customers prefer or require contactless methods such as Twint, small businesses are financially penalized for adopting the same technologies as large distributors.

The Swiss Retail Federation accuses Twint of abuse of a dominant position. In competition law, this term means exploiting market control to impose unfair conditions on those who have less bargaining power. Twint, controlled by a cartel of Swiss banks, has no direct competitors of equal strength in the Swiss digital payments market. As a result, small merchants have no realistic alternatives: Twint has become almost a de facto monopoly for mobile payments in Switzerland.

Scenarios if COMCO opens an investigation

If the Federal Competition Commission decides to investigate the case further, the consequences could be significant. A COMCO judgment could:

Force Twint to level commissions between small and large merchants (bringing the big ones to the level of the small ones, or both at a

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Key points

What small Swiss merchants can do in practice

If you are a small Swiss merchant using Twint, your options depend on your canton and your trade association. The Swiss Retail Federation has already acted at a national level by filing a complaint with the COMCO, but individual merchants can also report practices they believe are unfair to them.

Reporting to the COMCO

The Federal Competition Commission (COMCO) is the body responsible for matters concerning abuse of dominant position and unfair business practices. If you believe you are experiencing discrimination in fees compared to larger competitors, you can:

Gather documentation: a copy of your contract with Twint, bank statements showing the fees charged for each transaction, and comparisons with competitors who receive different rates
Contact the relevant COMCO office or your cantonal trade association
File a formal complaint describing the discriminatory practice, including supporting documents

COMCO receives hundreds of complaints per year and filters the files that have a solid basis and significant market impact. The fact that the Swiss Retail Federation has already submitted a detailed expert report increases the likelihood that the case will receive careful examination.

Assessing the impact on your margin

A small merchant who accepts 10,000 CHF in Twint payments per month pays approximately 130 CHF in fees (at the current 1.3% rate). If the same operation were priced at 0.59% as it is for large retailers, the cost would drop to about 59 CHF per month: a difference of 71 CHF per month, equal to approximately 850 CHF annually. Multiplied by thousands of small Swiss shops, the aggregate impact on the sector is substantial and directly affects the competitiveness of small businesses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Twint charge small and large merchants different fees?: According to the expertise of the Swiss Retail Federation, the disparity depends on the contractual structure. Small merchants enter into direct contracts with Twint and receive a QR code, paying 1.3% per transaction. Large merchants have contracts with external payment service providers that receive a terminal, paying 0.59%. Twint argues that the comparison is “completely wrong and misleading” because the services and infrastructure are not identical, but the Swiss Retail Federation disputes th
What is COMCO and what powers does it have?: The Competition Commission (COMCO) is the Swiss federal body responsible for competition law. Investigates abuses of dominant position, restrictive competition agreements, mergers and unfair business practices. It can order formal investigations, impose corrective measures and sanction those who violate competition rules. In the Twint case, the Swiss Retail Federation filed a complaint last year, but COMCO has not yet opened a formal investigation file.
What is the difference between Twint commission and debit/credit card commissions?: Small merchants pay 1.3% for Twint, 0.33% for debit cards, and 0.68% for credit cards. Large merchants pay 0.59% per Twint. For Mastercard and Visa, standard European interchange fees range from 0.12 to 0.15%. Twint allows up to 2% in its general conditions. The disparity is obvious: the Twint fee for little ones is about three times that of debit cards.
If I am a small trader, what can I do concretely?: You can collect documentation of your Twint contract and statements showing fees, report the discriminatory practice to COMCO if you believe it is unfair, or contact your cantonal trade association. The Swiss Retail Federation has already submitted a federal expert report, so the dossier is known to the competent authorities. You can also calculate the economic impact on your business using online analytics tools.
Who owns Twint and how do they handle fees?: Twint is jointly controlled by seven entities: the banks BCV, Postfinance, Raiffeisen, UBS and Zürcher Kantonalbank; the provider Worldline; and the infrastructure operator six. The Swiss Retail Federation suspects that banks are the main beneficiaries of the current tariff structure, which would constitute a potential conflict of interest as the system owners also set the final fees.