US DOJ v. MasterCard International and Visa

The suit against Visa and our client, MasterCard, claimed that the card associations' governance structures reduced competition and innovation.

The Analysis Group case team, led by CEO and Chairman Martha Samuelson, worked closely with our academic affiliate, Professor Robert Pindyck of MIT, to analyze the extent of competition in the payment card industry by studying new card programs, technological innovation, and advertising. We found that MasterCard and Visa compete vigorously for issuers and that there is no evidence that competition is at all reduced by the industry structure.

The judge cited Professor Pindyck's testimony in finding that "the Government has failed to prove that the governance structures of the Visa and MasterCard associations have resulted in a significant adverse effect on competition or consumer welfare."