New York, January 10, 2026, 10:44 EST — Market closed
Here are the key points:
- Mastercard slipped 0.8%, ending Friday at $575.54.
- Starting Jan. 20, Trump proposed capping credit card interest rates at 10% for one year.
- Investors await policy details and Tuesday’s U.S. CPI report.
Mastercard shares head into the week under pressure as Washington reenters the spotlight. U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a one-year cap on credit card interest rates, limiting them to 10%. The stock slipped 0.8%, closing at $575.54 on Friday. 1
This proposal hits payments companies by focusing on the fees issuers charge, which in turn affects how much credit consumers can access. Mastercard doesn’t provide loans itself, but it collects fees based on card spending. So, if credit availability tightens, it could dent transaction growth.
Trump didn’t specify how the cap would actually be enforced, with previous analysis pointing to Congress as the main gatekeeper. Senator Elizabeth Warren dismissed the move as meaningless without an accompanying bill. Economist Brian Jacobsen of Annex Wealth Management cautioned that if lenders can’t “price the risk properly,” they might reduce credit lines.
Traders also watched for fallout affecting issuers and co-brand partners like American Express, Capital One, and major banks that set credit terms. Visa, Mastercard’s nearest listed rival among card networks, often moves in step with the same blend of consumer spending and regulatory cues.
Mastercard just passed its dividend record date on Friday, following a December boost to 87 cents per share. The company’s board also approved a hefty $14 billion share buyback plan. 2
Regulation continues to cast a long shadow. In November, Visa and Mastercard struck a revised settlement with merchants over “swipe fees” — the interchange fees paid by merchants’ banks when customers use cards — aiming to reduce those fees and give merchants more freedom to steer acceptance, pending a judge’s approval. 3
Mastercard is stepping up its “rails and services” pitch beyond the U.S. On Jan. 8, it highlighted survey results from Trinidad and Tobago revealing that small and midsize businesses heavily depend on digital payments. 4
The stock remains under its 52-week peak, with its price reacting sharply to any news suggesting slower credit growth or stricter card economics regulations.
Mastercard holders face a risk if a rate cap becomes law or enforcement tightens, pushing issuers to cut back on credit. That would likely slow spending and dampen cross-border transactions. Another threat lurks in the courts: any shift in interchange fees could reshape how banks price and market their card offerings down the line.
Turning to macro data, the U.S. Consumer Price Index for December is set for release Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 8:30 a.m. ET. This report often shifts rate expectations and, in turn, influences the outlook for consumer credit. 5
As markets reopen Monday, investors will be keenly awaiting any new details from the White House or lawmakers ahead of the proposed Jan. 20 start date. Meanwhile, payment stocks will be under the microscope to see if they begin repricing regulatory risk or simply brush it off once more.
