20.03.2026, 16:51
Visa banned payments in the EU with cards of three Belarusian banks
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS The Visa international payment system has banned payments on the territory of the European Economic Area using system cards issued by three Belarusian banks - Belagroprombank, Belgazprombank and Alfa-Bank (Belarus).
"In accordance with the notification of the Visa international payment system, from March 18, 2026, transactions using the Visa payment system for Belagroprombank customers will be unavailable in the European Economic Area. The restrictions will apply to bank card payments, online payments, and international transfers," the bank's website (the second largest Belarusian bank in terms of assets) says.
The restrictions affect all EU countries, the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), as well as the United Kingdom.
Belgazprombank and Alfa-Bank (Belarus) have published similar warnings for their clients.
In official statements, banks indicate that the reason for the restrictions in settlements was the decision of the Visa payment system itself related to sanctions.
Alfa-Bank clarified that due to the restrictions, Visa cardholders will not be able to withdraw cash, pay in stores, online stores and online services, nor will they be able to transfer money in any card-to-card transfer services. The problem may relate, among other things, to transactions initiated from other countries if the processing of the service (for example, an international taxi or food delivery) passes through the UK or EU countries, the bank said in a statement.
As an alternative, the banks that were subject to restrictions offered their customers to use Mastercard cards, which did not impose sanctions.
Banks note that their Visa cards continue to function on the territory of Belarus and outside the EU and EFTA region.
Earlier it was reported that in October 2025, the EU imposed sanctions against subsidiaries of Alfa-Bank, VTB and Sberbank in Belarus and other countries.
In March 2022, Visa and Mastercard imposed restrictions on transactions conducted using cards of the Belarusian Sberbank, BelVEB Bank, VTB subsidiary bank, Dabrabyt Bank and the state-owned Belinvestbank.
Three Belarusian banks - Belagroprombank, Dabrabyt and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus are disconnected from the SWIFT system.
Visa and Mastercard suspended their operations in Russia in early March 2022.
"In accordance with the notification of the Visa international payment system, from March 18, 2026, transactions using the Visa payment system for Belagroprombank customers will be unavailable in the European Economic Area. The restrictions will apply to bank card payments, online payments, and international transfers," the bank's website (the second largest Belarusian bank in terms of assets) says.
The restrictions affect all EU countries, the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), as well as the United Kingdom.
Belgazprombank and Alfa-Bank (Belarus) have published similar warnings for their clients.
In official statements, banks indicate that the reason for the restrictions in settlements was the decision of the Visa payment system itself related to sanctions.
Alfa-Bank clarified that due to the restrictions, Visa cardholders will not be able to withdraw cash, pay in stores, online stores and online services, nor will they be able to transfer money in any card-to-card transfer services. The problem may relate, among other things, to transactions initiated from other countries if the processing of the service (for example, an international taxi or food delivery) passes through the UK or EU countries, the bank said in a statement.
As an alternative, the banks that were subject to restrictions offered their customers to use Mastercard cards, which did not impose sanctions.
Banks note that their Visa cards continue to function on the territory of Belarus and outside the EU and EFTA region.
Earlier it was reported that in October 2025, the EU imposed sanctions against subsidiaries of Alfa-Bank, VTB and Sberbank in Belarus and other countries.
In March 2022, Visa and Mastercard imposed restrictions on transactions conducted using cards of the Belarusian Sberbank, BelVEB Bank, VTB subsidiary bank, Dabrabyt Bank and the state-owned Belinvestbank.
Three Belarusian banks - Belagroprombank, Dabrabyt and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus are disconnected from the SWIFT system.
Visa and Mastercard suspended their operations in Russia in early March 2022.
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