Uzbekistan suspends services for Gazprombank UnionPay cards after U.S. sanctions

On November 21, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced a new sanctions package targeting dozens of Russian individuals and entities, including Gazprombank, which had previously not been subject to such measures. Following this announcement, several countries, including Uzbekistan, halted services for Gazprombank’s UnionPay cards.

The restrictions extend to multiple nations, including Turkey, the UAE, Hungary, Thailand, India, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Vietnam, South Korea, Tunisia, Egypt, Argentina, South Africa, Greece, China, Mongolia, and Morocco.

According to reports, users attempting to withdraw cash or make transactions with Gazprombank-issued UnionPay cards in these countries receive error messages or notifications stating that the card is not supported.

In response to the sanctions, Gazprombank issued a warning to its customers about potential difficulties in using their UnionPay cards internationally. The bank recommended that customers withdraw cash for their immediate financial needs.

On November 22, Gazprombank’s website ceased offering the option to issue new UnionPay cards. The bank clarified that existing cards would continue to function domestically within Russia but might face restrictions abroad.