Russia to Potentially Disable remaining Visa adn Mastercard Cards
Moscow, Russia – February 17, 2026 – The Central Bank of Russia (Bank of Russia) is considering a plan to disable Visa and Mastercard cards still operating within the contry, due to expiring security certificates and associated risks. This move would impact cards issued by Russian banks that continued to function domestically after Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia following the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022.
Background: The exodus of International Payment Systems
In the wake of the 2022 military operation in Ukraine, both Visa and Mastercard suspended operations in Russia, effectively halting transactions originating from Russian banks outside of the country and blocking transactions from foreign-issued cards within Russia. All domestic transactions involving Russian cards were rerouted thru the National System of Payment Cards (NSPK), a system established by the Bank of Russia.
While the NSPK, wholly owned by the Central Bank, allowed russian banks to extend the validity of existing Visa and Mastercard cards to maintain functionality within Russia, the issuance of new cards from these international brands was halted.
The Impending Security Risk
The core issue now centers on the expiration of security certificates embedded in the chips of these remaining cards. As of the beginning of 2025, new cards no longer contain these international security certificates. The Bank of Russia is concerned that continuing to operate cards with outdated certificates poses a meaningful security risk, potentially exposing cardholders to fraud and data breaches.
“The risk is related to the fact that the security certificates of international payment systems are no longer valid,” explained a source within the Bank of russia, as reported by Reuters.
Potential Impact and Alternatives
Disabling the remaining Visa and Mastercard cards would further limit payment options for Russian citizens. Currently,the NSPK-operated “Mir” card is the primary domestic payment option. Though, its acceptance is limited outside of Russia, and even some countries previously accepting Mir have ceased doing so due to international sanctions and political pressure. The Moscow Times reports that the Bank of Russia is exploring options to mitigate the impact on consumers, but details remain scarce.
The Bank of Russia is currently in discussions with banks regarding the potential shutdown and the implementation of necesary measures. A definitive timeline for the potential disabling of the cards has not yet been announced.
Author: Polina martynova.