Class-action litigation brought on behalf of over 12 million US merchants against Visa, Mastercard and top US credit card issuers has apparently reached a final settlement agreement—21 years after the lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. However, large retailers are expected to raise further objections. The settlement opens the gate for final distribution of what was originally $38 billion in punitive damages. An earlier version of the agreement involved the distribution of $5.54 billion of that amount. The deadline for claims on that tranche ...