Payment methods in Syria

Asia

2methods

1bank

Cash in Syrian Pounds (SYP) and US dollars is the overwhelming payment method for the majority of the population, with formal electronic payments limited largely to urban centres.

Market takeaways

Cash in Syrian Pounds (SYP) and US dollars is the overwhelming payment method for the majority of the population, with formal electronic payments limited largely to urban centres.
US and EU sanctions — including OFAC's Syria sanctions programme and EU Council Regulation 36/2012 — bar international payment networks and processors from operating in Syria, effectively excluding Visa, Mastercard, and SWIFT-connected banking from the market.
SamaPay is the primary domestic electronic payment platform, linking banks, merchants, and billing authorities for bill payments and retail transactions.
Other domestic wallets include Syriatel Cash (mobile money operated by Syriatel, Syria's largest mobile operator) and Shahba Pay; however, coverage and reliability remain limited.
Informal value transfer via hawala networks is widely used for both domestic and cross-border remittances, particularly for the Syrian diaspora sending funds into the country.

Population

~21M (pre-conflict estimate; current figure lower due to displacement)

Payment method breakdown

Market data coming soon.

Card scheme breakdown

Market data coming soon.

Cross-border e-commerce

Market data coming soon.

Featured payment methods in Syria

Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.

SamaPay

SamaPay is Syria's primary domestic electronic payment service, designed to connect billing authorities, merchants, and banks within a single payment network. It supports utility bill payments, retail purchases, and transactions at shopping centres, providing a bridge between Syrian commercial banks and merchant payment acceptance. SamaPay operates under the oversight of the Central Bank of Syria and is one of the few formal electronic payment rails functioning in the country. It is accessible through partner bank accounts and select retail locations.

Other Wallets

Syria has a small number of additional domestic digital payment services operating alongside SamaPay. Syriatel Cash is a mobile money product offered by Syriatel, Syria's largest telecommunications operator, enabling basic wallet-to-wallet transfers and merchant payments tied to a mobile number rather than a bank account. Shahba Pay is another domestic wallet operating in limited capacity. Despite their existence, adoption of these services remains constrained by poor infrastructure, currency instability, and the dominance of cash in everyday transactions.