Visa and Mastercard to suspend Cuba operations following US sanctions

Visa and Mastercard bank cards will cease functioning in Cuba beginning June 6 as a direct consequence of tightening United States sanctions, the country’s central bank announced.

The suspension follows a directive linked to Washington's updated foreign policy measures. According to the state-run news portal Cubadebate, the central bank attributed the sudden disruption to recent actions taken by the US administration.

"This cessation is directly linked to Executive Order No. 14404 of May 1, issued by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, as part of his strategy of strangling the Cuban people. As a result of this decision, Cuba is deprived of the opportunity to receive income from the commercialisation of goods and services through international cards of recognised global reach, such as VISA and MASTERCARD. A foreign bank reported that as of June 6—the date the measure takes effect—the continuation of the execution of agreements with the Cuban entity becomes illegal and impossible," Cubadebate reported.

The abrupt withdrawal of the two major global payment networks threatens to further complicate transactions for international tourists and businesses operating on the island.

To mitigate the economic impact, Cuban authorities clarified that alternative payment methods for foreign currency transactions will remain operational. These include cash, domestic prepaid cards—specifically the Clásica and Tropical networks—as well as China's UnionPay and Russia's Mir payment systems.

By Tamilla Hasanova