Paying with Lebanese cards online

I can't vouch for this but I recently came across it online: https://www.byblosbank.com/personal/accounts/current/
2$/month for a debit card, but there's a minimum initial deposit of $1000.

NuclearVision wrotehey guys, where can i open a fresh dollars account that allows me to do online purchases?
Blom has 10$ fee opening and 3% which is too much to be honest.
Any alternatives ?

Areeba and Libanpost launched a "via card" mastercard card that you can use abroad and online and don't need a bank account. If this card is linked to an European account then it could be good, I have zero trust in Lebanese banks even for fresh funds accounts

Good catch infiniteloop. I am looking at their fee structure and it looks fairly aggressive. Am I understanding this correctly that they apply a 1$ "Card payment fee" every time you make a purchase? that's nuts.

infiniteloop wroteAreeba and Libanpost launched a "via card" mastercard card that you can use abroad and online and don't need a bank account. If this card is linked to an European account then it could be good, I have zero trust in Lebanese banks even for fresh funds accounts

If you have an European account then you could just register with Wise (or "transferwise") and get their multi-currency international mastercard, although you'd need someone's help because they don't send it to Lebanon.

If you have an European account you get access to a world of services. Paypal, for example.

Not saying it's all good. Just saying if you have an account abroad why would you be interested in "via card"?

infiniteloop wroteAreeba and Libanpost launched a "via card" mastercard card that you can use abroad and online and don't need a bank account. If this card is linked to an European account then it could be good, I have zero trust in Lebanese banks even for fresh funds accounts

Considering that you will get your card in 2 to 3 business days, I doubt that the card would be linked to any other country but Lebanon. Also, denominated in USD, not Euros. Add to that the excessive fees, it has to be in Lebanon because people are that desperate for a card in foreign currency.

If it were possible to get easily get a card from nearby Cyprus or Turkey, that would solve a lot of issues, but now companies are taking advantage of the desperation and offering these choices.

hi geeks,this my first post ,i applied to via-card from areeba (via-card.com),i think its a good solution for paying online,Monday i will receive the card,i will post my feedback later

anyone knows if lebanese usd cards are blocked on google play store, started getting an error first of septemper.

How to change the region of the store while the card is originally lebanese, would the payment even go through considering it wont match?

ramy58 wrote

xemina wroteanyone knows if lebanese usd cards are blocked on google play store, started getting an error first of septemper.

Basically if you have a USD card, and you try to make a transaction in LBP, it'll be blocked (they used to be converted to dollars, so if an app costs 3000L.L. you pay 2 dollars). This is what the Bank Audi customer service person told me anyway. I think if you try to change the region to something else, like Europe or USA, it'll work (but I haven't tried yet personally).

I can report the same. I tried renewing something on the app store, and couldn't do it as it was denominated in LL, however my Netflix and Spotify which are paid in USD went through. My card is from Blom, so I am guessing they are all doing it.

Google play store is now denominated in $$$s now. Hopefully that takes care of the issues we have been having. I was able to make a purchase on it with no problem. I guess word leaked out to Google.

Renewed my Google One subscription today because I finally got $2 as fee instead of 2,990 LBP, and the payment went through.

Anyone tried to reserve an hotel saying "no prepayment needed" on booking.com using a Lebanese prepaid card?
I have BoB skip for 10$ month, I wonder if it will work and then pay cash at the hotel

Someone told me OMT has a prepaid international Internet card that has no limit on the internet or abroad when travelling, no fresh account in bank needed, is that true?

infiniteloop wroteSomeone told me OMT has a prepaid international Internet card that has no limit on the internet or abroad when travelling, no fresh account in bank needed, is that true?

I think you are talking about this

kareem_nasser wrote

infiniteloop wroteSomeone told me OMT has a prepaid international Internet card that has no limit on the internet or abroad when travelling, no fresh account in bank needed, is that true?

I think you are talking about this

Any idea how much it costs? Or is it for free?

Hybrid wrote

kareem_nasser wrote

infiniteloop wroteSomeone told me OMT has a prepaid international Internet card that has no limit on the internet or abroad when travelling, no fresh account in bank needed, is that true?

I think you are talking about this

Any idea how much it costs? Or is it for free?

15$ Annual Fee
1$ When you refill it

As of February 1, 2022
Sayrafa rate will be used for all Fresh and all international cards payments including POS, E-Commerce and ATM withdrawals.

https://www.bdl.gov.lb/news/more/8/447/21

VipModz wroteAs of February 1, 2022
Sayrafa rate will be used for all Fresh and all international cards payments including POS, E-Commerce and ATM withdrawals.

https://www.bdl.gov.lb/news/more/8/447/21

Hmm interesting. However, I think the black market rate is lower.

But I really have this question in my mind, if BDL can monitor and control the black market dollar. Why couldn't do it when it was around 8000LL for example?