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February 5, 2026

What would it take for Europe to shift away from Visa and Mastercard?

Geopolitical tensions raise questions over Europe’s reliance on American payment networks


Tom Matsuda

5 min read

New york, USA - August 24, 2017: Macro of visa logo card on dollar bill background

Last month, European parliamentarian Aurore Lalucq issued a stark warning that US president Donald Trump could effectively “shut down” the region’s payment systems, crystallising mounting fears around its dependence on American tech. 

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Tom Matsuda

Tom Matsuda is a fintech reporter at Sifted and writes our weekly fintech newsletter. Find him on X and LinkedIn

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