Visa announced its plan to launch operations in Syria through a strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Syria and other local financial institutions. The collaboration aims to establish a modern digital payments ecosystem in the country, aligning with Visa's mission to expand financial inclusion globally. The initiative is designed to help integrate Syria into the global digital economy. The initial phase will focus on building a secure payment foundation by working with licensed financial institutions to issue payment cards and enable digital wallets that adhere to global standards like EMV chip and tokenization. This move is also intended to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are crucial to the local economy, by empowering them to participate in the digital marketplace. Visa also plans to invest in local talent development and programs to help entrepreneurs scale new payment solutions. No market reaction was immediately available.