A restaurant payment with a Visa card in Damascus has become a symbol of Syria’s reconnection with the global financial system.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa used a Visa card to make an electronic payment at a restaurant in Old Damascus on Wednesday, in a transaction filmed and broadcast by Syria TV. Central Bank of Syria Governor Safwat Raslan was present.
The moment came as international sanctions on Syria are being rolled back and the country seeks to rebuild an economy that has spent years largely cut off from global markets.
Visa said on Thursday that it had successfully completed a live international card transaction in Syria, describing the test as a significant step towards allowing foreign visitors to use Visa cards in the country.
The company said the transaction was carried out in partnership with Syria’s central bank, Fransabank and Paymera.
Visa said the development would help expand digital payments and strengthen Syria’s links to the global digital economy.
For ordinary Syrians and international visitors, wider access to electronic payments could eventually make everyday transactions easier and reduce the country’s reliance on cash.
The payment came as al-Sharaa spoke at the opening of the 63rd Damascus International Fair, where he presented Syria as entering a new period of reconstruction following the lifting of sanctions.
He said he hoped Syria could once again serve as a "bridge between markets", a trade corridor and an economic hub connecting East and West.
The government faces a formidable task. Years of war, sanctions and economic isolation have damaged infrastructure, weakened financial institutions and restricted Syria’s access to international trade and investment.
The reopening of financial channels is therefore an important part of any broader economic recovery.
The latest developments follow a series of steps by Washington to ease restrictions on Syria.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Monday (24 August) that it had removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, fulfilling a commitment by the Trump administration to provide sanctions relief.
Syria had been on the list since 1979.
The removal does not by itself resolve the country's deep economic problems, but it represents a major shift after decades of isolation.
Against that backdrop, al-Sharaa's restaurant payment was more than a routine card transaction: it offered a small, visible sign of Syria's effort to reconnect with a financial system from which it has long been largely shut out.
Russia will hold parliamentary elections from 18 to 20 September 2026, the country's first State Duma vote since Moscow launched its full-scale...
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept dron...
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is outlining the EU's priorities in her annual State of the Union address, covering security, support for Ukraine, trade with China, migration, climate and artificial intelligence.
At least 12 Palestinians, including five children, were killed after a seven-storey apartment building in Gaza collapsed overnight, leaving dozens trapped beneath the rubble.
Türkiye has completed production of its first lunar spacecraft, with the probe now undergoing tests ahead of a planned launch in early 2027.
Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to upgrade relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as the two countries discuss nearly $19 billion in projects spanning energy, critical minerals and infrastructure.
The opening day of the 24th Arab Media Summit in Dubai highlighted how geopolitical, economic and technological upheaval is reshaping not only the region, but the media industry itself.
Georgia's move to comply with U.S. sanctions on Iranian airlines has sparked a diplomatic exchange with Tehran, as Tbilisi faces growing scrutiny in Washington over its ties with Iran, Russia and China.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment