🎉 Syria🇸🇾: Visa and Mastercard complete their first international transactions

🎉 Syria🇸🇾: Visa and Mastercard complete their first international transactions

In December 2025, the United States🇺🇸 lifted the sanctions imposed on Syria under the so-called “Caesar Act”, and just a few days ago the country was removed from the list of states designated as sponsors of terrorism, a status it had held since 1979.
Against this backdrop, Visa and Mastercard completed their first international transactions in Syria, marking a step toward the country's reintegration into the international payments system.

➡️ The Visa transaction was carried out in cooperation with Lebanese bank Fransabank🇱🇧, which acted as the acquiring financial institution, and Syrian payment technology company Paymera, which is owned by a state sovereign wealth fund.

➡️ Visa announced plans to allow foreigners in Syria to use their cards, initially on a trial basis. The number of merchants equipped with payment terminals is expected to increase subsequently.

➡️ Mastercard completed its transaction in partnership with QNB Group🇶🇦, Qatar's largest commercial bank. QNB Group already enables hotels, restaurants and government institutions to accept Mastercard payments through payment terminals.

➡️ The Central Bank of Syria stated that it is working to restore correspondent banking relationships and expand official channels for cross-border transfers and payments. However, the bank has not yet provided a timeline for these measures.

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