The Central Bank (CB) is discussing with banks the possibility of disabling cards of international payment systems Visa and Mastercard in Russia. A decision may be made soon, said Alla Bakina, Director of the National Payment System Department of the Central Bank.
The National Payment Card System (NSPK) is not an operator of Visa and MasterCard, but only technologically supports their operation. These products have not been developed in recent years, Bakina explained.
At the same time, the Central Bank does not want to create difficulties for holders of such cards.
People shouldn't suffer from this, they should have access to their funds.
In the summer of 2025, Bakina reported that the Central Bank does not exclude limiting the period of use of Visa and MasterCard cards with an expired validity period in order to combat fraud. Later, the director of the department reassured citizens, stating that there would be no drastic steps by the regulator regarding cards with an extended validity period. At the same time, the Central Bank should take measures to ensure security, she added.
