V · News · 20260827N

Syria Payments Market Reentry

VISA INC. · 2026-08-27 · Importance 38 · Surprise 60

Visa and Mastercard processed their first international card transactions in Syria on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The launch followed Washington’s removal of Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list, changing the country’s U.S.-related regulatory status. The development reconnects Syria with international card-payment networks and creates a new market-access opportunity for Visa.