On-Us and Off-Us Card Transactions Shape Fees, Speed and Payment Infrastructure

On 2 February 2026, a detailed overview explained how on-us and off-us card transactions differ in structure and impact. On-us payments occur when the issuer and acquirer are the same bank and remain on internal rails, while off-us flows connect different banks via card networks such as Visa, Mastercard, or RuPay. This technical distinction influences processing time, costs, and how banks and fintechs design their payment infrastructure.