The two American giants of payment systems will no longer allow banking cards issued in Russia to operate abroad, and foreign maps to operate in Russia.
Le Monde
Visa and MasterCard, leaders in the bank card market, announced Saturday, March 5 that they suspended their operations in Russia. “Due to the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment, we decided to suspend our network of services in Russia,” MasterCard said in a statement, stating that it would continue to remunerate its 200 employees in the country.
His competitor visa has simultaneously announced, in another press release, that he will “work with his clients and partners in Russia to cease all visa transactions in the coming days”. Al Kelly, Visa’s CEO also states: “We are obliged to act as a result of the invasion of unacceptable Ukraine by Russia and unacceptable events we’ve witnessed.” p>
Russian Visa and MasterCard credit cards will no longer be valid abroad, and maps emitted abroad will no longer work in Russia, have specified the two companies. In conjunction with their competitor American Express, they had already taken steps to prevent Russian banks from using their networks, pursuant to the international financial penalties decided after the invasion of Ukraine.
Cards issued. In Russia will continue to work
The Russian Bank, however, clarified that all Visa and MasterCard cards issued by the Russian banks would continue to operate normally on Russian territory until their expiry date. “Operations with these cards are managed by the national banking card system and sanctions have no impact,” she said in a statement. It nevertheless recommended that Russians go abroad to take away cash or the Russian Mir bank card into the few countries or territories where it is accepted.
The largest Russian bank, Sberbank, also stated on its Telegram account that the Visa and MasterCard cards issued by its care “can be used for operations on Russian territory – to withdraw money, perform Transfers with the card number, and for on-site or online payments with Russian shops “.