Stripe Pricing Update 2026 Increases Premium Card Fees for UK and EEA Merchants

Stripe implemented changes to card pricing on October 21, 2026, that affect premium and international transactions for merchants in the UK and EEA. Premium card rates rose from 1.9% to 2.8% plus the fixed fee, while international card rates fell from 3.25% to 3.15% plus the fixed fee. Standard domestic rates stayed at 1.5% + £0.20 in the UK and 1.5% + €0.25 in the EEA.

Stripe Pricing Update 2026 Details for Premium and International Cards

The increase on premium cards applies to commercial and corporate cards, which Stripe now prices at 2.8% + fixed fee. UK merchants pay an additional £0.20 on these transactions, while EEA merchants pay €0.25. International cards issued outside the UK and EEA now carry a 3.15% + fixed fee rate with the same fixed amounts. These adjustments apply to payments processed through Link as well.

Stripe stated the changes better match the underlying costs of different card types. Standard domestic cards, which make up the majority of transaction volume, saw no rate change. Cross-border cards between the UK and EEA carry a 2.5% + fixed fee rate. Currency conversion adds 2% on top when required. Merchants in Poland, Norway, and Switzerland remain outside these updates.

No merchant action is needed because the new rates apply automatically to standard pricing plans. Platforms using Connect receive separate notifications where relevant. Post-update checks through October 2026 confirmed the rates match the announced structure on Stripe documentation and independent fee calculators.

Impact on Merchants and Rate Comparison

Businesses that process many premium or corporate cards will see higher per-transaction costs after the update. A £100 premium card transaction in the UK now costs £3.00 instead of £2.10 before the change. International transactions on the same amount drop from £3.45 to £3.35, producing a modest saving on high-volume foreign card volume.

Merchants should review their mix of card types over the past three months to estimate the net effect. Those with significant premium card volume may explore routing options or alternative processors if the 0.9 percentage point increase exceeds savings elsewhere. Standard domestic volume continues at the prior 1.5% rate with no disruption.

Merchants can track the updated rates in their Stripe dashboard under the pricing section. Those operating across multiple regions should confirm whether their account falls under UK or EEA rules based on entity location. The changes leave room for merchants to test volume-based custom pricing if their monthly card volume exceeds standard plan thresholds.