Card fees are one of the few costs that grow automatically as your sales grow. That’s why it pays to know what’s changing in payment processing, and right now a lot is. Clover, the point-of-sale system owned by Fiserv and used by a huge number of small businesses, has had an eventful 2026. Its story is a useful lens on the bigger trends every merchant should watch.
Here’s what’s happening, in plain language, and what to do about it.
What’s Going On at Clover
Processing rate increases
Industry trackers reported that Fiserv, Clover’s parent company, scheduled a processing-rate increase effective July 1, 2026. According to Merchant Cost Consulting’s summary, merchants on interchange-plus pricing would see an extra 0.05% per transaction plus $0.03 per authorization, and merchants on tiered pricing would see increases of 0.10%, 0.20%, and 0.40% on qualified, mid-qualified, and non-qualified rates.
Exactly how this shows up depends on who sold you your Clover. Clover hardware runs through banks, independent sales organizations, and Clover directly, and pricing varies by channel. The takeaway is simple: look at your statement from July onward and compare it with earlier months.
Slower growth and a new CEO
Fiserv’s second-quarter 2026 results, released August 6, showed company revenue down 4% from a year earlier. Payments Dive reported that Clover revenue grew just 2% for the quarter, weighed down by slower hardware sales. The same report notes that Takis Georgakopoulos took over as CEO in June, and that the company is reviewing its operations.
For merchants, a processor under pressure to improve results is worth watching. Pay attention to new fees, changes to your agreement, and any push to upgrade hardware.
New products: fine dining and older devices
In May 2026, Fiserv announced Clover Reserve powered by Tabit, a version of Clover built for full-service and fine-dining restaurants, with features like multi-course pacing, floor management, and tableside check handling.
On the hardware side, Clover’s developer documentation notes that first-generation U.S. devices (older Station, Mobile, Mini, and Flex models) reach “End-of-App-Update” in 2026. If you’re running original hardware, ask your provider what that means for you before you’re forced into a rushed upgrade.
The controversy
Clover has also faced legal heat. In July 2025, investors filed a securities class action alleging Fiserv moved merchants from its older Payeezy platform onto Clover and misled investors about Clover’s growth as some of those merchants left over cost. In January 2026, a shareholder derivative complaint made similar allegations against executives. These are allegations, not findings, and the cases are about investors rather than merchants directly. But they put a spotlight on a question every merchant should ask: what am I actually paying, and for what?
The Bigger Trends in Card Processing
1. Surcharging rules are shifting
Surcharging means adding a fee when a customer pays by credit card. Today, Visa caps credit card surcharges at the lesser of your cost of acceptance or 3% and requires 30 days’ notice to your processor, and Mastercard’s published maximum is 4%. Surcharges are not allowed on debit or prepaid cards, and you have to follow notice and disclosure rules.
Change may be coming. On June 9, 2026, a federal court granted preliminary approval to a revised Visa and Mastercard settlement with merchants. If it receives final approval, it would give merchants more flexibility to surcharge, let them choose whether to accept certain categories of credit cards, and trim average credit interchange. Nothing changes until final approval.
State law matters too. A handful of states restrict surcharging, and rules differ. The National Conference of State Legislatures keeps a summary of state surcharge statutes. Check your state before you add a fee.
2. Dual pricing and cash discounts
Dual pricing shows two prices, a card price and a lower cash price. Done right, it’s a discount for paying cash, not a surcharge. Done wrong, with a vague “non-cash adjustment” tacked on at checkout, it can be treated as a surcharge and break card brand rules or state law. If a provider pitches you a “zero-fee” program, ask exactly how it’s structured and who’s responsible for compliance.
3. Tap to pay keeps growing
Contactless payments are now normal, and you may not need extra hardware to take them. Clover, for example, supports Tap to Pay on iPhone in the Clover Go app. For trades and service businesses that take payment in the field, that can mean fewer devices to buy and manage.
4. Fee transparency
Many merchants still can’t read their own statements. Monthly service fees, PCI fees, batch fees, and tiered “non-qualified” rates add up. The trend is toward clearer pricing, but you often have to ask for it. Interchange-plus pricing usually makes your real costs easier to see than tiered pricing.
5. Faster funding
Waiting days for card money to land is becoming optional. Many processors now offer next-day or same-day deposits, sometimes for a fee. Clover offers Rapid Deposit for eligible merchants. Faster funding is useful, but know what it costs, because a small percentage on every early deposit adds up.
6. Embedded financing
Processors increasingly offer funding based on your card sales, like Clover’s Clover Capital merchant cash advance program. Convenient, yes. But merchant cash advances are not the same as loans, and the true cost can be hard to compare. Read the terms, understand the repayment as a share of daily sales, and compare against other options.
Practical Takeaways
- Pull your last six months of statements and compare your effective rate (total fees divided by total card volume) month by month.
- Know your pricing model. Interchange-plus, tiered, flat-rate, and dual pricing all behave differently.
- Check your contract for term length, early termination fees, and hardware leases.
- Don’t surcharge without checking card brand rules and your state’s law.
- Ask about tap to pay and funding speed and what each costs.
- Treat financing offers like any other loan decision. Compare total cost, not just convenience.
Ask Us About XcellPay and XcellCapital
Lead Wize Solutions works with business owners on more than marketing. XcellPay, our payment processing service, starts with a plain-English review of your current statement so you can see what you’re paying and why. XcellCapital, our business funding and capital service, helps you look at funding options that fit your cash flow. Both are designed to keep your business in the black.
We won’t throw out a rate before we’ve seen your numbers. Every business is different, and an honest review beats a teaser rate.
Let’s Look at Your Numbers
Want a second set of eyes on your processing statement or your funding options? Book a free discovery call and ask about XcellPay and XcellCapital, or call 844-925-WIZE (9493). While we’re at it, we can run a free digital footprint analysis of your business online.