Visa Faces Justice Department Antitrust Case Over Debit Cards

The US Justice Department plans to allege that Visa Inc. illegally monopolized the US debit card market, according to people familiar with the matter.

The antitrust division is set to file a lawsuit as soon as Tuesday accusing the operator of the largest US payments network of a range of anticompetitive conduct, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the case. The government is expected to file the case in federal court.

Antitrust enforcers are preparing to accuse Visa of taking steps to keep rivals from challenging its dominance in the debit card market, said the people. ...