APPLE: Apple Pay closes loophole that allowed Russian users to pay with Mir cards

According to sources, Apple Pay would no longer support the Russian card payment system Mir, eliminating a loophole that allowed Russians to continue to use the service despite the country's economic sanctions. According to a translated notice on Mir's homepage, "Apple has informed NSPK [Russia's National Payment Card System] that it is halting support for 'Mir' cards in the payment service Apple Pay." "Uploading new 'Mir' cards to the service has been unavailable since March 24."

Any Mir cards already connected to Apple Pay will stop operating in the "coming few days," according to the firm. Last year, Apple Pay launched support for Mir cards. The Central Bank of Russia owns Mir, according to The Guardian, and it was founded in reaction to economic restrictions imposed on Russia after it took Crimea in 2014. According to the Central Bank, Mir cards account for around 32% of all new cards issued in the nation. According to the Wall Street Journal, Google is also taking moves to terminate connections with Mir.