Through Resolution No. 6, Minute No. 11, dated March 13, 2025, the Central Bank of Paraguay (“BCP”) introduced amendments to Article 20 of Resolution No. 43, Minutes No. 95, dated December 30, 2015, which regulates the collection of intermediation fees on debit and credit card transactions.

With this modification, issuing entities and/or operators must publish all intermediation fees applied to affiliated merchants on their websites, distinguishing between debit and credit card transactions. This information must be presented in a matrix that categorizes transaction amounts and average payment receipt values (tickets) and will be distinguished by type of card, whether debit or credit. Additionally, entities are required to continuously update the information on the fees charged, ensuring that merchants and the public have access to up-to-date and accurate data.

Furthermore, BCP will establish the maximum rate applicable to intermediation fees. It is clarified that this maximum rate encompasses the total sum of all intermediation fees charged during the payment process, regardless of the functions or means used by the entities involved. However, additional fees may be applied for services other than electronic payment intermediation, such as business management, fund flow administration, or data analysis, provided that acquiring these services is not mandatory to access intermediation services.

Issuing entities and/or operators must submit their fee policies applicable to affiliated merchants to the central bank within the first half of January each year. These policies must include at a minimum: (i) a technical justification for the applied fees or reasons for modification; (ii) a technical study supporting any variations; (iii) a description of the services provided; and (iv) a breakdown of fixed and variable costs, specifying the calculation methodology and the distribution of costs among fees, operators, and merchants within their respective networks.