Amazon halts plan to block UK Visa credit cards

Global e-commerce giant Amazon has canceled plans to block UK Visa credit card payments this week_ as the two sides continue to try to resolve a dispute over payment fees.

"The expected / change regarding/ the use of / Visa credit cards on Amazon.co.uk will no longer take place on January 19_" Amazon said.

Visa said it was "working closely to reach an agreement".

Amazon said last year that Visa payment costs were "an obstacle" to providing the best prices for customers.

But Visa accused Amazon of threatening to restrict consumer choice. "When consumer choice is limited_ nobody wins_" Visa said.

Neither company has indicated when the talks might conclude. In an email to customers on Monday_ Amazon said it was working closely with Visa on "a potential solution that will enable customers to continue using their Visa credit cards on Amazon.co.uk".

An EU-enforced cap on fees charged by card issuers is no longer in place in the UK following Brexit.

Both Visa and its rival Mastercard have raised the so-called interchange fee on cross-border transactions between businesses in the UK and the European Union following Brexit.

However_ Amazon and Visa said last year that their dispute had nothing to do with the UK leaving the EU.