Settlement Guarantee Management

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Settlement Guarantee Management [Abstract]

Note 8—Settlement Guarantee Management

The Company indemnifies its clients for settlement losses suffered due to failure of any other client to fund its settlement obligations in accordance with the Visa operating rules. This indemnification creates settlement risk for the Company due to the difference in timing between the date of a payment transaction and the date of subsequent settlement.

Historically, the Company has experienced minimal losses as a result of its settlement risk guarantee. However, the Company’s future obligations, which could be material under its guarantees, are not determinable as they are dependent upon future events.

The Company’s settlement exposure is limited to the amount of unsettled Visa payment transactions at any point in time, which vary significantly day to day. During the six months ended March 31, 2021, the Company’s maximum daily settlement exposure was $99.3 billion and the average daily settlement exposure was $61.5 billion.

The Company maintains and regularly reviews global settlement risk policies and procedures to manage settlement exposure, which may require clients to post collateral if certain credit standards are not met. At March 31, 2021 and September 30, 2020, the Company held the following collateral to manage settlement exposure:


	March 31, 2021		September 30, 2020
	(in millions)
Restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents	$	2,057	$	1,850
Pledged securities at market value	279		228
Letters of credit	1,334		1,306
Guarantees	635		717
Total	$	4,305	$	4,101