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Payment System Outage Disrupts Moscow Transport and Shops

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A widespread payment system disruption caused significant disruption across Moscow on Friday, affecting public transport, retail stores and services.

Shoppers and commuters reported failures in card and QR code payments, with many businesses temporarily switching to cash-only transactions. The issue also impacted the Moscow metro, where turnstiles were opened to allow passengers to travel without payment during the outage.

The disruption was linked to problems involving Sberbank, Russia’s largest financial institution, though the exact cause has not been disclosed. The bank later confirmed that services had been restored but did not provide further details.

Other services were also affected, including a regional zoo in Belgorod, which asked visitors to pay in cash due to the outage. Petrol stations and shops across the region experienced similar issues for about an hour.

Authorities, including Central Bank of Russia, have not yet commented on the root cause of the disruption.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of digital payment infrastructure in large urban centers, particularly when widely used systems experience sudden failures.

Mastercard Expands Stablecoin Strategy

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Mastercard has agreed to acquire stablecoin infrastructure firm BVNK in a deal valued at up to $1.8 billion, marking a major step in its push into blockchain-based payments.

The acquisition is expected to strengthen Mastercard’s capabilities in digital money movement, particularly for cross-border transfers and business payments.

BVNK provides infrastructure that connects traditional financial systems with blockchain networks, allowing companies to send and receive payments using stablecoins across multiple jurisdictions.

The transaction also reflects increasing competition among major payment networks to establish early leadership in the emerging digital asset payments market.

Executives said the deal would accelerate the rollout of new services that combine traditional financial rails with blockchain technology.

Industry analysts view the acquisition as part of a broader shift toward faster, lower-cost digital payment systems.

Visa Expands in Argentina with Prisma Deal

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Visa has announced plans to acquire payment platforms Prisma and Newpay from private equity firm Advent International, strengthening its presence in Argentina’s financial technology sector.

The acquisition will integrate Visa’s global network with established local infrastructure, supporting broader adoption of digital payment solutions across the country.

Visa indicated that the move would accelerate the rollout of technologies such as tokenization, biometric verification and advanced risk management tools for both consumers and businesses.

Prisma is one of Argentina’s largest card issuing platforms, processing billions of transactions annually for major banks. Newpay complements this ecosystem by providing payment infrastructure, ATM services and electronic bill payment systems.

The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2026, though financial terms have not been disclosed.

The development reflects ongoing efforts to modernize payment systems and expand digital finance capabilities in Argentina.