Lithuania is developing a card payment system without the Internet in case of mobilization

Lithuania is developing a new payment card payment system that will work even without Internet access in times of mobilization or emergency. This was announced by Simonas Krepšta, a member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania, LRT reports.

"Such a system is really being developed. We've talked about it a little bit before, but it's being developed and preparations are underway to ensure that during mobilization, if there is no Internet, there will be an opportunity to pay not only in cash, but also with payment cards," Krepshta noted.

The system will allow people to make limited purchases of essential items – such as food, medicine, fuel – even if there is no connection and the account is under arrest or has an exceeded credit limit.

This is only about basic goods, not full-fledged purchases in any stores or cafes.

The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Lithuanian Government, the Ministry of Defense, the Crisis Management Center, as well as international payment systems Visa and Mastercard, banks and retail chains.

If the Lithuanian Parliament adopts the relevant amendments to the law in the spring of 2025, the system could be operational in just a few months.

According to Krepshta, the system is primarily intended for possible mobilization, but it can also be used in other situations when the country's Internet connection is interrupted.

Similar initiatives are already being implemented in other Nordic countries – in particular, in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Estonia.

They are developing alternative payment infrastructure options in the event of cyberattacks or sabotage – following several incidents of damage to underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

In the event of technical failures, some ATMs in Lithuania will also remain operational – citizens will be able to withdraw cash even in the event of communication interruptions.

• The government approved a package of draft laws on Ukraine's implementation of EU requirements for joining the SEPA European banking payment system (analogous to SWIFT).