Payment methods in Belarus
Visa and Mastercard have imposed progressive restrictions on sanctioned Belarusian banks since 2022; most Belarusian-issued cards no longer work internationally
Market takeaways
- Visa and Mastercard have imposed progressive restrictions on sanctioned Belarusian banks since 2022; most Belarusian-issued cards no longer work internationally
- Belkart, the national card system, held 56.1% of non-cash turnover in 2023 with 5.3 million cards in circulation
- ERIP (Electronic Unified Settlement and Information System) is the primary bill-pay and retail payment platform domestically
- Belarus is not connected to SEPA and is largely cut off from Western payment rails
- E-commerce revenue is projected at ~$1.54 billion in 2025 but growth is constrained by sanctions and economic isolation
Population
9.4M
Online population
~7.5M (~80%)
B2C e-commerce
~$1.5B (2025 est.)
Banked population
~80%
Credit card population
~60%
E-commerce of total retail
~12%
Payment method breakdown
- Card (Belkart/domestic)55%
- Cash25%
- Bank Transfer / ERIP15%
- E-Wallet4%
- Other1%
Card scheme breakdown
- Belkart55%
- Visa25%
- Mastercard15%
- UnionPay4%
- Other1%
Cross-border e-commerce
Market data coming soon.
Featured payment methods in Belarus
Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.
ERIP (ЕРИП)
The Electronic Unified Settlement and Information System is Belarus's primary platform for paying utilities, government fees, fines, and retail bills. Accessible via ATMs, internet banking, mobile apps, and payment kiosks. Practically universal for domestic bill payments.
UnionPay
Chinese payment network increasingly adopted as an alternative to Visa/Mastercard for international use. Some Belarusian banks issue co-badged Belkart/UnionPay cards to enable cross-border functionality in countries that accept UnionPay.
Internet Banking / Mobile Banking
Major Belarusian banks offer internet and mobile banking for domestic transfers and ERIP payments. Cross-border functionality is limited due to sanctions and SWIFT restrictions on some institutions.
Belkart
Belarus's national card payment system, managed by the Central Bank of Belarus. As of early 2023, 5.3 million cards were in circulation with a 56.1% share of non-cash turnover. Cards are accepted at all ATMs and terminals in Belarus. Co-badged versions may carry Mastercard or Maestro, but international functionality is increasingly restricted.
MIR (Limited)
Russia's national card system is accepted at terminals in Belarus, creating a degree of payment connectivity with Russia. Primarily used by Russian visitors and by some Belarusians with accounts at Russian-linked banks operating in Belarus.
Visa / Mastercard (Restricted)
Visa and Mastercard continue to operate within Belarus for cards issued by non-sanctioned banks, but a growing number of major banks have had their cards blocked for international use. As of April 2026, cards from Alfa-Bank Belarus and Belgazprombank no longer work in Europe or the UK.
All payment methods in Belarus
Discover 6 payment methods from around the world
Featured banks in Belarus
Major institutions operating in this market.
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI)
Vienna, Austria
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is Austria's second-largest bank and a leading retail and corporate bank in Central and Eastern Europe, operating in 13 markets.
Belarusbank
Minsk, Belarus
Belarusbank is Belarus' largest state-owned bank, serving as the principal savings bank and a major retail and SME lender.
Other Banks — Belarus
Minsk, Belarus
Aggregate of all remaining banks in Belarus, collectively ~65.0% of domestic banking assets.
All banks in Belarus
Showing 3 of 3 banks
