Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara Completes Country’s First International Visa Transaction in Damascus
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara carried out the country’s first international Visa transaction at a coffee shop in the Old City of Damascus, marking a significant step as Syria reintegrates with the global financial services system, according to official statements and reports from the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
The transaction took place in the presence of Syrian Central Bank Governor Mohammed Safwat Raslan, who described the event to reporters as a new beginning for the war-torn nation. Visa worked alongside Fransabank Lebanon as the acquiring financial institution and Paymera to process the payment, the company confirmed in a statement.
Central Bank Governor Raslan noted that modernizing the national payment ecosystem remains a priority for financial infrastructure, backed by strict compliance and risk management controls.
Mastercard and QNB Group Process First POS Payment
Parallel to the Visa rollout, Mastercard and QNB Group announced that they successfully processed Syria’s first international card payment in more than 15 years. Following a technical reconnection to Mastercard’s global network, QNB Syria handled a point-of-sale transaction at an approved local merchant using an internationally issued card.
Yousef Al Neama, group chief business officer at QNB Group, stated that connecting local merchants to international payment capabilities enables businesses to offer customers greater choice while supporting a secure digital payments transition.
These financial milestones follow the official removal of Syria from the United States State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. The policy shift eliminates a major barrier for private sector investment and economic recovery, according to statements by US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Reconnecting Syria to Global Financial Infrastructure
Syria has accelerated its economic reintegration following the toppling of the Assad regime in 2024. In June of last year, the country completed its first electronic transfer via the Swift system after a 14-year exclusion during the civil war.
President Donald Trump subsequently repealed the Caesar Act and revoked US sanctions regulations targeting the Syrian government. Additionally, the European Union removed economic sanctions in May to support the nation’s return to the global economy.
Leila Serhan, senior vice president at Visa, emphasized that the company took crucial steps over recent months to support digital payment reintroduction within applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Ambassador Tom Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, described the removal of terrorism designations as the dismantling of a wall that long separated Syrians from international commerce and opportunity.
Did you know? Syria had been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979 before the US State Department officially lifted the status under the Trump administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who processed Syria’s first international Visa transaction?
Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara completed the transaction using Visa, with Fransabank Lebanon acting as the acquiring financial institution and Paymera facilitating the payment.
Why was Syria able to resume international card payments?
The resumption follows the US removal of Syria from the state sponsor of terrorism list, the repeal of the Caesar Act, and the lifting of EU economic sanctions.
When did Syrian banks reconnect to the Swift system?
Syria completed its first electronic transfer via Swift in June of last year, ending a 14-year exclusion caused by the civil war.
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