Legal Matters | Note 13—Legal Matters The Company is a party to various legal and regulatory proceedings. Some of these proceedings involve complex claims that are subject to substantial uncertainties and unascertainable damages. For those proceedings where a loss is determined to be only reasonably possible or probable but not estimable, the Company has disclosed the nature of the claim. Additionally, unless otherwise disclosed below with respect to these proceedings, the Company cannot provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. Although the Company believes that it has strong defenses for the litigation and regulatory proceedings described below, it could, in the future, incur judgments or fines or enter into settlements of claims that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. From time to time, the Company may engage in settlement discussions or mediations with respect to one or more of its outstanding litigation matters, either on its own behalf or collectively with other parties. The litigation accrual is an estimate and is based on management’s understanding of its litigation profile, the specifics of each case, advice of counsel to the extent appropriate and management’s best estimate of incurred loss as of the balance sheet date. The following table summarizes the activity related to accrued litigation: Three Months Ended 2024 2023 (in millions) Balance as of beginning of period $ 1,727 $ 1,751 Provision for uncovered legal matters 17 10 Provision for covered legal matters 34 22 Payments for legal matters (129) (312) Balance as of end of period $ 1,649 $ 1,471 Accrual Summary—U.S. Covered Litigation Visa Inc., Visa U.S.A. and Visa International are parties to certain legal proceedings that are covered by the U.S. retrospective responsibility plan, which the Company refers to as the U.S. covered litigation. An accrual for the U.S. covered litigation and a charge to the litigation provision are recorded when a loss is deemed to be probable and reasonably estimable. In making this determination, the Company evaluates available information, including but not limited to actions taken by the Company’s litigation committee. The total accrual related to the U.S. covered litigation could be either higher or lower than the escrow account balance. See further discussion below under U.S. Covered Litigation and Note 5—U.S. and Europe Retrospective Responsibility Plans. The following table summarizes the accrual activity related to U.S. covered litigation: Three Months Ended 2024 2023 (in millions) Balance as of beginning of period $ 1,537 $ 1,621 Provision for interchange multidistrict litigation 27 — Payments for U.S. covered litigation — (160) Balance as of end of period $ 1,564 $ 1,461 For the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded an additional accrual of $27 million to address claims associated with the interchange multidistrict litigation. The accrual balance is consistent with the Company’s best estimate of its share of a probable and reasonably estimable loss with respect to the U.S. covered litigation. While this estimate is consistent with the Company’s view of the current status of the litigation, the probable and reasonably estimable loss or range of such loss could materially vary based on developments in the litigation. The Company will continue to consider and reevaluate this estimate in light of the substantial uncertainties with respect to the litigation. The Company is unable to estimate a potential loss or range of loss, if any, at trial if negotiated resolutions cannot be reached. Accrual Summary—VE Territory Covered Litigation Visa Inc., Visa International and Visa Europe are parties to certain legal proceedings that are covered by the Europe retrospective responsibility plan. Unlike the U.S. retrospective responsibility plan, the Europe retrospective responsibility plan does not have an escrow account that is used to fund settlements or judgments. The Company is entitled to recover VE territory covered losses through periodic adjustments to the class A common stock conversion rates applicable to the series B and C preferred stock. An accrual for the VE territory covered losses and a reduction to stockholders’ equity will be recorded when the loss is deemed to be probable and reasonably estimable. See further discussion below under VE Territory Covered Litigation and Note 5—U.S. and Europe Retrospective Responsibility Plans . The following table summarizes the accrual activity related to VE territory covered litigation: Three Months Ended 2024 2023 (in millions) Balance as of beginning of period $ 72 $ 110 Provision for VE territory covered litigation 7 22 Payments for VE territory covered litigation (21) (126) Balance as of end of period $ 58 $ 6 U.S. Covered Litigation Interchange Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) - Individual Merchant Actions Visa has reached settlements with a number of merchants representing approximately 74% of the Visa-branded payment card sales volume of merchants who opted out of the Amended Settlement Agreement with the Damages Class plaintiffs. On November 15, 2024, defendants served a motion for injunction compelling dismissal of claims by Intuit and Block. On December 18, 2024, in the actions led by Target Corporation and by 7-Eleven, Inc., the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied defendants’ motion for a revised summary judgment ruling based on Illinois Brick. Consumer Interchange Litigation On December 20, 2024, the district court adopted the magistrate judge’s recommendation to deny defendants’ motion to compel arbitration and grant defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ California law claims, and plaintiffs moved for reconsideration. VE Territory Covered Litigation Europe Merchant Litigation On December 19, 2024 the UK Court of Appeal issued a decision restricting Merchant damages to six years preceding the claim filing. The six-year limitation period will apply to all existing and future Merchant claims brought under English law in the Courts of England and Wales. Other Litigation U.S. Department of Justice On December 16, 2024, Visa filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. U.S. Debit Class Actions On November 26, 2024, plaintiffs in the four putative class actions brought on behalf of merchants then-pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York moved to consolidate their cases, appoint interim leadership, and enter an interim schedule, which the court granted. On December 16, 2024, those plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint. On December 13, 2024, plaintiffs in three putative class actions brought on behalf of cardholders pending in or being transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York moved to consolidate their cases, appoint interim leadership and enter an interim schedule, which the court granted. Two remaining cardholder actions were subsequently transferred to that court. On December 27, 2024, plaintiffs in the consolidated cardholder actions filed an amended consolidated complaint. On January 29, 2025, an additional putative class action brought on behalf of merchants was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. U.S. Securities Class Action On November 20, 2024, Beibei Cai filed a putative securities class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Visa Inc., and certain of our officers on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded Visa securities between November 16, 2023 and September 23, 2024. The complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 in failing to disclose that Visa was in violation of U.S. federal antitrust laws, as was alleged in the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on September 24, 2024 (see U.S. Department of Justice matter). The plaintiff seeks a ruling that this case may proceed as a class action, and seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. Debit Surcharge Class Action On December 4, 2024, James Williams filed a putative class action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Visa Inc. on behalf of a nationwide class of all persons in the United States who paid a surcharge when completing a purchase with a Visa debit card in a transaction with a merchant located in the United States since 2010. The complaint claims that Visa has failed to enforce its rules prohibiting merchants from surcharging those transactions, and that plaintiff and putative class members have been harmed as a result. Plaintiff asserts breach of contract, unjust enrichment and unfair competition claims, and seeks monetary damages, declaratory and injunctive relief. U.S. ATM Access Fee Litigation On December 6, 2024, plaintiffs in the Mackmin action filed a motion for final approval of the class action settlement with Visa and Mastercard. |