Risk-free cards: Visa and Mastercard will be withdrawn from circulation

In Russia, it is planned to phase out Visa and Mastercard bank cards due to the expiration of the security certificates of their chips, which have ceased to be valid since January 1, 2025. The National Payment Card System (NSPK), together with banks, forms proposals on the timing of withdrawal of these cards, then the proposal will be submitted to the Bank of Russia. About what to do for Visa and Mastercard cardholders and what payment systems are available in Russia, see the Izvestia article.

Visa and Mastercard security certificates expired

Russia plans to phase out Visa and Mastercard bank cards due to expired security certificates. This was announced on October 8 by Dmitry Dubynin, Director General of the NSPK.

He explained that since January 1 of this year, all security certificates in the chips of such cards have ceased to be valid.

The planned limitation of expired cards implies a return to the model when the cards were urgent.

The NSPK is currently gathering the opinions of market participants to present a common position to the Bank of Russia. It is expected that banks will offer options for the time during which Visa and Mastercard plastic cards will be withdrawn from circulation.

The Central Bank has limited the validity period of expired cards

After the withdrawal of the Visa and Mastercard payment systems from Russia in 2022, the NSPK and banks extended the validity of existing cards, but stopped issuing new ones. And in July 2025, the Central Bank announced plans to limit the use of expired cards.

Earlier, Alla Bakina, director of the Department of the National payment system of the Central Bank, explained that the card's validity period is one of the ways to combat fraud. Now the number of expired cards is decreasing, and the need for their renewal is disappearing. The Central Bank will announce the date of the restriction in advance so that banks can complete the use of the remaining such cards.

In addition, operations on expired Mir cards may be partially restricted. Such a decision is planned to be made before February 2026, said Sergey Panin, the leader of the company's technical standards development department.

Visa and Mastercard cards will no longer be serviced in Russia. What you need to know

What should Visa and Mastercard holders do?

There is no need for urgent replacement of Visa and Mastercard cards now. Banks will notify customers in advance when a replacement is required, providing a reasonable timeframe for a smooth transition to the cards of the national payment system "Mir".

The number of such cards in circulation is decreasing, as many citizens independently change them to domestic ones, including holders of premium cards with additional privileges. Despite the fact that transactions continue to be processed by the NSPK, some of the benefits are lost.

In the event that you want to replace Visa or Mastercard cards with Mir, you should contact the bank, use the mobile application, personal account on the website or support service, present your passport and submit an application. The reissue takes several days, after which you can get the card at the branch or order delivery. The virtual card becomes available immediately. Mir cards work not only in Russia, but also in a number of other countries such as Abkhazia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and others.

If a replacement is not required yet, it is important to follow the bank's notifications so as not to miss information about possible changes.

What payment systems are there in Russia?

In Russia, in addition to the national payment system Mir, there are more than 20 payment system operators listed in the register of the Central Bank. For everyday payments, Russians usually use services with support for fast payments.

The Chinese UnionPay system is popular for international transfers, which is issued by some Russian banks.

When traveling abroad, it is recommended to learn in advance about the current restrictions and traveler reviews. In order not to be left without access to funds, it is better to take cash or issue a foreign bank card (sometimes remotely). You only need to order such cards on official websites and do not store large amounts on them.