Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, HE, Mohammed Safwat Raslan conducts the first international card transaction using a Mastercard card, marking a significant milestone in reconnecting Syria to the global payments network. The first payment paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria
Mastercard, QNB Group have processed Syria’s first international card payment in more than 15 years, marking an important milestone in the modernization of Syria’s payments ecosystem. „Following the technical reconnection of Syria’s payments ecosystem to Mastercard’s global network, QNB Syria processed the first point-of-sale (POS) transaction at an eligible approved local merchant using an internationally issued Mastercard card.” – according to the press release.
The transaction establishes a foundation for the acceptance of international payments in Syria, helping connect consumers, businesses and financial institutions to the global digital economy and support the country’s longer-term economic development.
Photo: The Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, HE, Mohammed Safwat Raslan In the middle) with Nedal Nasraween (left), Chief Operating Officer at Qatar National Bank Group, and Omar Massarweh (right), Vice President – Government Affairs and Public Policy, West Arabia, Mastercard.
“The completion of Syria’s first international card transaction in more than 15 years is an important step in modernizing the country’s payments ecosystem. This achievement demonstrates the value of collaboration between the public and private sectors in enabling secure international payment acceptance, facilitating commerce and supporting sustainable economic development,” said H.E. Mohammed Safwat Raslan, Governor of the Central Bank of Syria.
Commenting on the achievement, Yousef Mahmoud Al-Neama, Group Chief Business Officer at QNB Group, said: “The successful completion of the first international card transaction represents an important step in the development of Syria’s payments landscape. By connecting merchants to international payment capabilities, we are enabling businesses to offer customers greater choice and convenience while supporting the transition towards a more modern and secure digital payments ecosystem. This achievement also reflects the Group’s continued commitment to payment innovation and digital transformation across the markets in which it operates.”
The successful transaction demonstrates the readiness of the infrastructure established to enable internationally issued Mastercard cards to be accepted in Syria. It also represents an important step towards broader secure digital payment acceptance across the market.
“At Mastercard, we see this first transaction as an important milestone in the evolution of Syria’s payments ecosystem. By working closely with the Central Bank of Syria and QNB Group, we are helping advance a more connected, secure and inclusive payments environment. This achievement marks an important first step towards expanding access to global payment capabilities and broader international card acceptance across the market,” said Adam Jones, Division President, West Arabia, Mastercard.
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Around 2011: International Visa and Mastercard card payments effectively stopped functioning in Syria as the Syrian civil war began and Western sanctions were imposed on the Assad government. The result was that Syrian banks became disconnected from international card networks. Why: U.S. and European sanctions, restrictions on Syrian banks, and the resulting compliance/legal risk made international banks and payment networks unwilling or unable to process Syrian transactions. Syria was also on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list, which remained an additional major obstacle.
2025: The U.S. removed broad Syria sanctions, effective July 1, 2025, allowing U.S. financial institutions to provide services to Syrian financial institutions under certain conditions.
2026: The infrastructure began coming back. Syria’s central bank authorized local banks/payment companies to work with Visa and Mastercard in May 2026, after roughly 15 years of isolation.
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