Legal Matters |
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Legal Matters | Note 13—Legal Matters The Company is a party to various legal and regulatory proceedings. Some of these proceedings involve complex claims that are subject to substantial uncertainties and unascertainable damages. For those proceedings where a loss is determined to be only reasonably possible or probable but not estimable, the Company has disclosed the nature of the claim. Additionally, unless otherwise disclosed below with respect to these proceedings, the Company cannot provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. Although the Company believes that it has strong defenses for the litigation and regulatory proceedings described below, it could, in the future, incur judgments or fines or enter into settlements of claims that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. From time to time, the Company may engage in settlement discussions or mediations with respect to one or more of its outstanding litigation matters, either on its own behalf or collectively with other parties. The litigation accrual is an estimate and is based on management’s understanding of its litigation profile, the specifics of each case, advice of counsel to the extent appropriate and management’s best estimate of incurred loss as of the balance sheet date. The following table summarizes the activity related to accrued litigation:
Accrual Summary—U.S. Covered Litigation Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. and Visa International are parties to certain legal proceedings that are covered by the U.S. retrospective responsibility plan, which the Company refers to as the U.S. covered litigation. An accrual for the U.S. covered litigation and a charge to the litigation provision are recorded when a loss is deemed to be probable and reasonably estimable. In making this determination, the Company evaluates available information, including but not limited to actions taken by the Company’s litigation committee. The total accrual related to the U.S. covered litigation could be either higher or lower than the escrow account balance. See further discussion below under U.S. Covered Litigation and Note 5—U.S. and Europe Retrospective Responsibility Plans. The following table summarizes the accrual activity related to U.S. covered litigation:
For the nine months ended June 30, 2025, the Company recorded additional accruals of $1.5 billion and deposited $375 million into the U.S. litigation escrow account to address claims associated with the interchange multidistrict litigation. The accrual balance is consistent with the Company’s best estimate of its share of a probable and reasonably estimable loss with respect to the U.S. covered litigation. While this estimate is consistent with the Company’s view of the current status of the litigation, the probable and reasonably estimable loss or range of such loss could materially vary based on developments in the litigation. The Company will continue to consider and reevaluate this estimate in light of the substantial uncertainties with respect to the litigation. The Company is unable to estimate a potential loss or range of loss, if any, at trial if negotiated resolutions cannot be reached. Accrual Summary—VE Territory Covered Litigation Visa Inc., Visa International and Visa Europe are parties to certain legal proceedings that are covered by the Europe retrospective responsibility plan. Unlike the U.S. retrospective responsibility plan, the Europe retrospective responsibility plan does not have an escrow account that is used to fund settlements or judgments. The Company is entitled to recover VE territory covered losses through periodic adjustments to the class A common stock conversion rates applicable to the series B and C preferred stock. An accrual for the VE territory covered losses and a reduction to stockholders’ equity will be recorded when the loss is deemed to be probable and reasonably estimable. See further discussion below under VE Territory Covered Litigation and Note 5—U.S. and Europe Retrospective Responsibility Plans. The following table summarizes the accrual activity related to VE territory covered litigation:
U.S. Covered Litigation Interchange Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) – Individual Merchant Actions Visa has reached settlements with a number of merchants representing approximately 82% of the Visa-branded payment card sales volume of merchants who opted out of the Amended Settlement Agreement with the Damages Class plaintiffs. On November 15, 2024, defendants served a motion for injunction compelling dismissal of claims by Intuit and Block. On March 24, 2025, the magistrate judge recommended that the motion for injunction be denied, and defendants filed an objection to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. On December 18, 2024, in the actions led by Target Corporation and by 7-Eleven, Inc., the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied defendants’ motion for a revised summary judgment ruling based on Illinois Brick. In the action led by Grubhub Holdings Inc., the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois set a trial date. Consumer Interchange Litigation On December 30, 2024, the district court adopted the magistrate judge’s recommendation to deny defendants’ motion to compel arbitration and grant defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ California law claims, and plaintiffs moved for reconsideration. On May 12, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York denied plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration and their request for leave to amend the complaint, which decision plaintiffs have both appealed and moved to alter or amend. VE Territory Covered Litigation Europe Merchant Litigation Since July 2013, proceedings have been commenced by more than 1,150 Merchants (the capitalized term “Merchant”, when used in this section, means a Merchant together with subsidiary/affiliate companies that are party to the same claim) against Visa Europe, Visa Inc. and other Visa subsidiaries in the UK and other countries, primarily relating to interchange rates in Europe and, in some cases, relating to fees charged by Visa and certain Visa rules. They seek damages for alleged anti-competitive conduct in relation to one or more of the following types of interchange fees for credit and debit card transactions: UK domestic, other European domestic, intra-European Economic Area and/or other inter-regional. As of the filing date, Visa has settled the claims asserted by over 950 Merchants, and there are approximately 150 Merchants with outstanding claims. In addition, over 30 Merchants have threatened to commence similar proceedings. Standstill agreements have been entered into with respect to some of those threatened Merchant claims, several of which have been settled. While the amount of interchange being challenged could be substantial, these claims have not yet been filed and their full scope is not yet known. The Company anticipates additional claims in the future. On December 19, 2024 the UK Court of Appeal issued a decision restricting Merchant damages to six years preceding the claim filing. The six-year limitation period will apply to all existing and future Merchant claims brought under English law in the Courts of England and Wales. In April 2025, a trial was completed before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) regarding the extent to which interchange fees were passed on by acquirers and merchants. On June 25, 2025, a judgment was handed down by the CAT determining that certain interchange rates restrict competition under UK antitrust law. On July 8, 2025, Visa was served with a class action claim in the Netherlands on behalf of Dutch merchants against several Visa entities. The claim alleges that inter-regional interchange fees on transactions at Dutch merchants are a restriction of competition and seeks damages from 1992 to present. Other Litigation The claimant in the class action in the Israel Central District Court filed a counter-response to Visa’s July 22, 2024 response and a preliminary hearing was held on February 26, 2025. Other Litigation U.S. Department of Justice On December 16, 2024, Visa filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On June 23, 2025, the court denied the motion. U.S. Debit Class Actions On November 26, 2024, plaintiffs in the four putative class actions brought on behalf of merchants then-pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York moved to consolidate their cases, appoint interim leadership, and enter an interim schedule, which the court granted. On December 16, 2024, those plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint. On December 13, 2024, plaintiffs in three putative class actions brought on behalf of cardholders pending in or being transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York moved to consolidate their cases, appoint interim leadership and enter an interim schedule, which the court granted. Two remaining cardholder actions were subsequently transferred to that court. On December 27, 2024, plaintiffs in the consolidated cardholder actions filed an amended consolidated complaint. On January 29, 2025, an additional putative class action brought on behalf of merchants was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which was consolidated into the existing merchant consolidated complaint. On February 24, 2025, Visa filed motions to dismiss the consolidated complaints by merchants and cardholders. Visa also filed a motion to stay the litigation as to certain putative class representatives and certain claims in the merchant complaint, which was granted. On March 28, 2025, Visa filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to compel dismissal of certain claims asserted by certain putative class representatives. U.S. Securities Class Action On November 20, 2024, Beibei Cai filed a putative securities class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Visa Inc., and certain of our officers on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded Visa securities between November 16, 2023 and September 23, 2024. The complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 in failing to disclose that Visa was in violation of U.S. federal antitrust laws, as was alleged in the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on September 24, 2024 (see U.S. Department of Justice matter). The plaintiff seeks a ruling that this case may proceed as a class action, and seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. On April 23, 2025, the court appointed Cai as lead representative plaintiff. On July 15, 2025 plaintiff filed an amended complaint adding certain current and former officers as defendants and bringing the action on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded Visa securities between March 2, 2023 and September 23, 2024. Derivative Cases Between January 31, 2025, and March 27, 2025, three shareholder derivative actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. These actions are purportedly brought by shareholders on behalf of Visa Inc. and against certain of its current and former directors and officers. Collectively, the actions assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty and violations of Sections 10(b) and 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for failing to disclose that Visa was in violation of U.S. federal antitrust laws, as was alleged in the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on September 24, 2024 (see U.S. Department of Justice matter), as well as claims under Sections 20(a) and 21D of the Exchange Act and for unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets, insider trading, and aiding and abetting. Plaintiffs seek monetary damages, corporate governance changes and other equitable relief on behalf of Visa Inc. in addition to attorneys’ fees and costs. Debit Surcharge Class Action On December 4, 2024, James Williams filed a putative class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Visa Inc. on behalf of a nationwide class of all persons in the United States who paid a surcharge when completing a purchase with a Visa debit card in a transaction with a merchant located in the United States since 2010. The complaint claims that Visa has failed to enforce its rules prohibiting merchants from surcharging those transactions, and that plaintiff and putative class members have been harmed as a result. Plaintiff asserts breach of contract, unjust enrichment and unfair competition claims, and seeks monetary damages, declaratory and injunctive relief. On February 13, 2025, Visa filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On May 28, 2025, the district court granted Visa’s motion to dismiss with leave to amend certain claims, and plaintiff subsequently filed an amended complaint asserting substantially the same claims. On July 23, 2025, Visa filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. U.S. ATM Access Fee Litigation On December 6, 2024, plaintiffs in the Mackmin action filed a motion for final approval of the class action settlement with Visa and Mastercard, which the court granted on June 23, 2025. EMV Chip Liability Shift On June 24, 2025, plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of class settlements with Discover and American Express. MiCamp Solutions On March 24, 2025, the court dismissed with prejudice MiCamp Solutions’ constitutional law claims, dismissed with leave to amend its federal and state antitrust claims and state data privacy law claims, and denied a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that MiCamp Solutions filed on March 6, 2025. On April 14, 2025, MiCamp Solutions filed a second amended complaint alleging violations of federal and state antitrust and unfair competition laws based on Visa’s assessment of fees for non-compliance with its surcharge rules. On May 28, 2025, Visa filed a motion to dismiss the second amended complaint. Mirage Wine + Spirits Inc. On July 9, 2025, the court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss the Amended Class Action Complaint, with leave to amend. German ATM Litigation Visa’s challenge to the jurisdiction of the German courts to hear the claims is pending in the German Federal Supreme Court.
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