mastercard/visa
Card giants Visa and Mastercard struck a settlement after years of legal wrangling.
  • Visa and Mastercard settled a dispute with US retailers over credit-card swipe fees.
  • The settlement could ultimately affect credit-card reward programs.
  • Banks aren't likely to abandon rewards programs, but they could get less rewarding.

One of the great American pastimes — using your credit card to accumulate points — could be about to change.

On Tuesday, Visa and Mastercard settled with US retailers over a longstanding dispute tied to credit-card swipe fees.