The Swiss Retail Federation has submitted a formal complaint to the Swiss Competition Commission (WEKO) concerning the payment service provider TWINT, alleging violations of Swiss competition law.

According to the complaint, TWINT has abused its relatively strong market position and engaged in anti-competitive agreements with both its payment acquirers and its owner banks.

These actions are said to have led to excessive and economically unjustified merchant fees, which affect not only the retail sector but also other industries, including hospitality.

The Swiss Retail Federation has requested that WEKO take appropriate action to reduce TWINT’s merchant fees to levels that align with market norms.

“This represents a fundamental piece of the puzzle in the fight for fairer competition in payment transactions, for the benefit of companies and customers,”

said Dagmar Jenni, Director of the Swiss Retail Federation.

The Federation maintains that the current fee structure places an undue burden on businesses and seeks regulatory intervention to ensure a more balanced and competitive environment for digital payments in Switzerland.

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