Blended pricing
Flat-rate pricingPricing
A pricing model where the acquirer charges the merchant a single all-in rate per transaction (e.g. 2.9% + €0.30) regardless of underlying interchange and scheme costs. Simple to budget against but typically more expensive than IC++ for volumes above ~€100K/month, because the acquirer's margin is bundled in.
In practice.
Blended pricing is simple to read but hides the cost structure: one flat rate regardless of card type, with the provider keeping the spread on cheap transactions. It suits low volumes. Once volume grows, most merchants move to IC++ where the true interchange cost is passed through and the markup is visible.
Related terms: IC++ · Interchange · Tiered pricing · MDR
Pricing