Asiapay launches Mastercard card program in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq-based digital payments company Asiapay has launched its own card program in partnership with Mastercard, offering three products tied directly to the Asiapay wallet: a Virtual Mastercard, a Platinum Mastercard and a World Mastercard. The cards were issued under a license from Mastercard International Incorporated and with approval from the Central Bank of Iraq, the company said. They can be used for domestic and international purchases, online payments and at ATMs that accept Mastercard, with multi-currency support for cross-border transactions. Management, issuance and top-ups are handled through the Asiapay application. Asiapay official Zarnegh Farouk said the company aims to connect customers' daily payments to the global network at lower commission rates. During a promotional period, the company is waiving the standard 35,000 Iraqi dinar issuance fee on the Platinum card. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Sulaymaniyah, Asiapay says it was among the first companies to obtain a digital payment services license from the Central Bank of Iraq.