The head of the NSPK spoke about the acceptance of Mir cards in Turkey through fintech services

Fintech services have appeared in Turkey that allow you to use the Mir card and the Fast Payment System. A year ago, Turkish banks stopped accepting Russian Mir cards due to a warning from the US authorities

Russian bank cards can work in Turkey through special fintech services. The HEAD of the National Payment Card System (NSCP, Mir card operator) Vladimir Komlev spoke about this in an interview with the RBC TV channel.

“There are a number of services that are provided mainly by fintech companies, where you can now, in principle, pay with any Russian payment instruments without any major problems. This service is not very systematic, but it is very convenient when, due to digitalization and modern technologies, payment becomes available. Indeed, in most tourist spots in Turkey you can now pay with both Mir cards and the Fast Payment System,” Komlev said.

He added that payments through such services are made “not in one click, as people were used to before, but it is done in two clicks.” “This is not much more complicated and allows you to use familiar Russian cards in Turkey,” Komlev emphasized. He did not specify what solutions he was talking about and how payments could be made with their help.

According to Komlev, usually the Mir payment system officially negotiates with foreign banks or payment operators to operate in foreign countries. However, a “slightly different situation” has developed in Turkey, which is not subject to sanctions influence. “When there are many of these companies - there are probably dozens of them now - means of payment become available. Such options will quickly “grow” through sanctions pressure, because it is in demand,” he believes.

Problems with the operation of Russian Mir cards in Turkey began in the spring of 2022. As Komlev explained then, Turkish acquiring banks stopped accepting Mir cards if the bank that issued it is under sanctions from Western countries. The situation worsened in the fall of 2022, when the US Ministry of Finance threatened financial institutions of third countries with secondary sanctions for concluding new or expanding existing agreements with the NSPK, since in this case they “risk supporting Russia’s efforts to circumvent US sanctions.” At the same time, the Financial Times wrote about the intention of the US and EUincrease pressure on Turkey over the connection of local banks to the Mir payment system. After this, Turkish banks, including the largest private ones Isbank and Denizbank, suspended the acceptance of Mir cards. Also in March 2022, the international payment systems Visa and Mastercard left RUSSIA, which is why their cards stopped working abroad.

To solve the problem of accepting Russian cards abroad, two large Russian banks decided last fall to install their POS terminals in friendly countries, primarily in Turkey and the UAE. RBC sources in the banking market spoke about this, without disclosing the names of credit institutions. To implement this scheme, banks need to enter into agreements with intermediaries abroad, which can be payment providers, entrepreneurs, etc.

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