Mastercard has launched Mastercard Gateway in Syria, giving banks, businesses, and financial institutions in the country an integrated platform for processing digital payments at the point of sale (POS) and in ecommerce. The gateway is available through Merchant Cloud, Mastercard's unified payments platform, which provides merchants with access to services including agentic commerce capabilities, fraud protection, tokenisation, data insights, and hosted checkout.
In-store and online processing through local banks
Mastercard Gateway combines Mastercard's payment technology with local payment infrastructure, allowing live, end-to-end transaction processing in store and online. Through the platform, Syrian banks can extend card acceptance to merchants more quickly, from large retailers to SMEs. Gaurang Shah, Executive Vice President, Global Acceptance and Merchant Solutions at Mastercard, said the gateway gives the country's merchants a simple and secure route to digital payments.
Mastercard expects the launch to help merchants reach a broader customer base, move into ecommerce, and reduce their reliance on cash. It may also make it easier for international online businesses to enter the Syrian market.
Syria's return to international card networks
The launch follows a series of steps that have reconnected Syria with global payment networks. In September 2025, the Central Bank of Syria signed a memorandum of understanding with Mastercard to cooperate on developing the country's digital payments system. In May 2026, the central bank authorised local banks to work with international card schemes. In August 2026, Mastercard and QNB Group processed Syria's first international card payment in more than 15 years, shortly after the US removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Adam Jones, Division President, West Arabia at Mastercard, said reconnecting Syria to the international payments ecosystem is important for the country's economic recovery and for allowing people and businesses to take part in the global economy. Mastercard said it will continue working with partners in Syria, and presents the gateway as a step towards broader merchant acceptance, financial inclusion, and SME growth in the country.
