Low-cost debit card system for payments being considered

“Recognising the critical role of dual-network debit cards in facilitating least-cost routing, the government strongly encourages the board to consider mandating their issuance for major and medium-sized financial institutions,” Frydenberg (pic) said in the letter seen by Reuters.

SYDNEY: Australia’s treasurer has asked the central bank to consider forcing large and medium-sized banks and debit card issuers to provide multiple network options for merchants to route “tap-and-go” payments.

In a letter dated Aug 30 to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Josh Frydenberg threw the government’s weight behind “least-cost routing”, which would allow businesses to choose cheaper domestic systems instead of the prevalent but more expensive Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc networks.