Starting September 1, Sberbank will cease servicing foreign currency and multi-currency Visa and Mastercard cards, but the restrictions will only affect products that customers have not used for a long time. The bank's press service clarified to RBC that these changes will not affect existing multi-currency accounts and foreign currency accounts of clients – all funds in them are fully preserved and accessible.

A mass mailing recommending closing cards and transferring balances was addressed to owners of inactive cards with zero balances, as well as outdated multi-currency products whose functionality is no longer supported. The bank emphasized: the panic surrounding the alleged complete abandonment of foreign currency cards is unfounded.

The decision was made against the backdrop of the Central Bank's general policy to withdraw cards of payment systems that have left Russia from circulation. Visa and Mastercard stopped working abroad back in 2022, and in October 2025, the NSPK announced the need to restrict the circulation of cards with expired chip security certificates. Currently, the share of "Mir" in acquiring has already exceeded 85%, and banks are gradually disabling outdated plastic without creating risks for customers.