Mastercard, offline payments with new cards also possible in Europe from 2027

From 2027, newly issued Mastercard cards in Europe will also work offline, with a maximum spending limit of 200 euros. The group's initiative was born after the great blackout that hit Spain and Portugal in 2025, with around 55 million people cut off from digital payments.

"From February 2027, all newly issued Mastercard cards in Europe will be enabled to make offline payments. By May 2027, all new and replacement payment terminals will also have to support this functionality" announces the group.

“Once the requirements are implemented across Europe, consumers will be able to use chips and pins during a service interruption to purchase essential goods at supermarkets, grocery stores, petrol stations and pharmacies, as well as to make payments at ticket machines for travel and transport services,” explains the group.

Offline payments work thanks to a spending limit stored securely in the card chip. If the terminal loses connection, the payment can be authorized directly, up to a maximum of 200 euros per operation established in advance by the bank. The transaction is then processed when the connection becomes available again.