The transactions mark Syria's move to restore links with the global payments system, following the formal decision by the US government to remove Syria from its state sponsors of terrorism list. Qatar's QNB Group collaborated with Mastercard for a point-of-sale transaction, while Visa partnered with Lebanon-based Fransabank and domestic payment technology company Paymera for its first live cross-border payment test. The Central Bank of Syria confirmed these transactions signify the official start of international card acceptance services in the country.