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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.
2 months later
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
a month later
anyone knows if lebanese usd cards are blocked on google play store, started getting an error first of septemper.
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).
How to change the region of the store while the card is originally lebanese, would the payment even go through considering it wont match?
10 days later
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.
Yea same goes for me im using the dual currency OMT card issued from BLOM bank and it stopped working on google app store sadly. the question is do you have any idea when are they gonna approve of it again? or any idea how to top up on google play store?
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 $2 as fee instead of 2,990 LBP, and the payment went through.
5 days later
Anyone tried to reserve an hotel saying "no prepayment needed" on booking.com using a Lebanese prepaid card?
I have BoB skip for 10$ month, I wonder if it will work and then pay cash at the hotel
20 days later
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
3 months later
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?
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
So if I have fresh account I am obligated to ATM withdraw it in Lebanese Lira at sayrafa rate?

Edit:

Same Announcement in Arabic:

بلغ حجم التداول على منصة "Sayrafa" لهذا اليوم /32,000,000/$ إثنان وثلاثون مليون دولار أميركي بمعدل 21200 ليرة لبنانية للدولار الواحد وفقاً لأسعار صرف العمليات التي نُفذت من قبل المصارف ومؤسسات الصرافة على المنصة.

على المصارف ومؤسسات الصرافة الإستمرار بتسجيل كافة عمليات البيع والشراء على منصة "Sayrafa" وفقاً للتعاميم الصادرة بهذا الخصوص.


بيروت في 1 شباط 2022

وحدة الاعلام والعلاقات العامة

https://www.bdl.gov.lb/news/more/8/446/21