Mastercard is introducing new rules for offline payments across its European network—including in Croatia—in 2027, ensuring that payments can continue even during power outages or network connection disruptions. “Once the new rules are implemented across Europe, in the event of a power outage or network disruption, users will be able to pay for essentials—such as at supermarkets, grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies, as well as at ticket machines and other transit vending machines—by inserting their card into the terminal and entering their PIN,” Mastercard adds.
Mastercard enables continued payment capabilities even during power outages and internet disruptions across Europe; the company highlights this by recalling April 2025, when a power outage in Spain and Portugal left an estimated 55 million people unable to make digital payments. Consequently, starting in February 2027, all newly issued Mastercard cards in Europe will support offline payments, and by May 2027, this capability must also be supported by all new payment terminals as well as those replacing existing ones.
They explain that offline payments work by securely storing pre-set spending limits on the card’s chip; if the terminal loses its network connection, the transaction can be authorized directly on the terminal up to a limit determined by the issuing bank—capped at a maximum of 200 euros per transaction. Once the connection is restored, the transaction is sent for clearing. Mastercard adds that it has already introduced offline payments in Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia, and—following coordination with partners, national governments, regulators, and central banks—plans to roll them out to a wider range of European countries starting in 2027.
“When the power goes out or network connections fail, people still need to buy food, fuel, and medicine. We have seen that offline payments can truly help. By expanding this technology across Europe, we can help people continue paying for what they need, even when the unexpected happens,” said Brice van de Walle, Executive Vice President for Core Payments at Mastercard.