
We asked Perplexity.ai.
What is the annual profit to USA banks and card processors for credit card services, including interest on "the float" and margins on service fees?
Perplexity replied:
Annual profit to U.S. banks and card processors from credit card services is driven by three main sources: interest on revolving balances ("the float"), service fees (late, annual, etc.), and transaction-related margins (interchange and processing fees).
Here’s a breakdown of the key figures and profit drivers, based on the latest available data:
1. Interest on Revolving Balances ("the float")
Interest income is the primary source of credit card profitability, accounting for about 80% of banks’ credit card profits.
In 2022, U.S. banks earned $105 billion in interest charges from credit cards.
In 2023, this figure included an additional $25 billion in profit from increased APR margins, bringing total interest income to around $130 billion.
The average APR margin (the difference between what banks charge and their funding cost) reached a record 14.3 percentage points in 2023, contributing to these high profits.
2. Service Fees (Late, Annual, Over-limit, etc.)
Fees make up about 15% of credit card profitability.
Late fees, annual fees, and other usage charges are concentrated among "revolvers" (cardholders who carry a balance).
Annual fees alone generated $6.4 billion in 2022, more than double the $3 billion in 2015.
Late fees and other service charges add several billion more, but the precise annual total is not specified in the search results.
3. Transaction Margins (Interchange, Assessment, and Processor Fees)
Interchange fees (paid by merchants to issuing banks) totaled $126.4 billion in 2022.
However, the transaction function is slightly negative for banks overall because rewards and other expenses outpace interchange revenue.
Payment processors (e.g., Visa, Mastercard) and networks earn additional revenue from assessment and processor fees, typically 0.13%–1.0% of transaction value.
Visa’s net income in Q1 2025 was $5.1 billion on $9.5 billion in revenue, reflecting high profitability. Mastercard’s 2024 net income was also substantial, with operating margins near 58%.
Credit card processing fees cost merchants 1.5% to 3.5% of each transaction, with a significant portion going to banks and networks.
4. Total Market Size and Profitability
U.S. credit card transaction volume was $5.6 trillion in 2023.
Credit card issuers (banks) have the highest profit margins of any U.S. industry, with major issuers like JPMorgan Chase reporting profit margins of 28–32%.
Visa and Mastercard’s profit margins are even higher than issuing banks, with
Mastercard’s adjusted operating margin at 58.4% in 2024.
Key Insights
Interest on revolving balances is the dominant profit driver for banks, accounting for roughly four-fifths of credit card profit.
Interchange and processing fees are massive in aggregate, but much is offset by rewards and expenses; the net transaction margin for banks is slightly negative.
Visa and Mastercard, as card networks, generate billions in profit annually with very high margins, but their revenue is distinct from issuing banks.
Total annual profit to U.S. banks and card processors from credit card services is well over $100 billion, primarily from interest and fees, with additional billions in network and processing profits.
We followed up, asking:
What proportion of credit card sales revenue remains in the community and what proportion goes to national banks and service providers?
Perplexity replied:
The majority of credit card sales revenue leaves the local community and is captured by national banks and service providers, with only a small proportion remaining with local financial institutions.
Breakdown of Revenue Flow
1. Card Issuer Share (National vs. Local)
National banks issue about 68% of primary credit cards in the U.S., down from 76% in 2020.
Credit unions and community banks issue roughly 13% of primary cards (8.3% credit unions, 5.1% community banks as of 2023), with the remainder issued by regional or other banks.
This means that for every $100 in credit card sales, about $68 is routed through national banks, $13 through local/community institutions, and the rest through other issuers.
Interchange fees—the largest portion of processing fees—go to the card-issuing bank, so this split directly reflects where most fee revenue lands.
2. Processing and Network Fees
Processing fees (1.5%–3.5% of each transaction) are split among the issuing bank (largest share), card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.), and payment processors.
Card networks and processors are almost exclusively national/global companies, so their share of the revenue leaves the local community.
3. Merchant Retention
The merchant (local business) keeps the remainder after deducting processing fees, typically about 96.5%–98.5% of each sale, depending on the card and processor used.
Howexver, the fees paid (1.5%–3.5%) are almost entirely distributed to national banks and service providers, unless the card is issued by a local credit union or community bank.
Estimated Proportions (table) •=column break
Recipient * Approximate Share of Credit Card Sales Revenue • Notes
Local/community banks & credit unions •13% of card-issuer-related fee revenue • Only if the card is issued by a local institution
National banks & service providers • 87% of card-issuer-related fee revenue • Includes most interchange, network, and processor fees
Local merchants (after fees)• 96.5%–98.5% of gross sale • But 1.5%–3.5% of each sale is lost to fees
If a customer uses a card from a national bank, nearly all fee revenue leaves the community.
If a customer uses a card from a local bank or credit union (about 13% of the time), that portion of interchange revenue stays local.
All network and processor fees go to national/global firms, regardless of issuer.
Key Points
Most credit card fee revenue (about 87%) goes to national banks, card networks, and payment processors.
Only 13% of card-issuer-related fee revenue stays in the community, reflecting the share of cards issued by local institutions.
The vast majority of the sale (over 96%) remains with the merchant, but the fee portion is almost entirely extracted by national or global financial firms unless the card is issued by a local bank or credit union.
In summary:
The overwhelming majority of credit card sales revenue that is deducted as fees goes to national banks and service providers, with only a small fraction (about 13%) remaining in the community through local card issuers.