Some Visa and Mastercard Cards Will Expire in Russia

Some Visa and Mastercard cards will expire in Russia due to security certifications. After Visa and Mastercard withdraw from the Russian system at the end of 2024, Russian banks will have to decide for themselves whether to continue working with these cards. However, this issue is not expected to be widespread.

Bank cards operate under what are known as issuer certificates or chip security certificates. These may not align with the cards' validity period and can be purchased by banks for various durations, such as three or five years, as explained by a source to RBC.

What's more, the validity of the international payment systems Visa and Mastercard has been extended in Russia due to these certifications. In this case, the card's functionality depends on the two banks involved in the payment chain—the issuing bank and the acquiring bank. Nevertheless, some payments may cease to go through.