In short: Suits those who need a simple Belkart card for payments in Belarus and Russia and are used to the Sber interface. The main limitation is the EU transaction ban and the sanctions imposed by other countries.
Terms for non-residents
- Non-residents
- Yes
- Remote account opening
- No
- Visa / Mastercard
- Limited
- Russian-language support
- Yes
- Former name
- BPS-Sberbank; Sber Bank since 2021
- Card for non-residents
- Belkart-Premium guest card in BYN, valid for 3 years
- Card cost
- Issuance 60 BYN, servicing free (per a myfin.by review, February 2025)
- Mir cards at ATMs
- Accepted; issuer fee of about 4%, limit of 1,000 BYN per month
- Restriction
- EU ban on transactions with the bank since 2 December 2025
Pros
- Familiar brand for Russians, with the SberBank Online app available in Russian
- ATMs accept Mir cards
- Belkart-Premium guest card for non-residents, usable for payments in Russia through Belkart
- Systemically important bank (group II) with a Russian owner
Cons and limits
- EU transaction ban since 2 December 2025, plus sanctions from the US, Canada and New Zealand
- Reviews list only a Belkart card for non-residents, so there is no international card for payments outside Russia and Belarus
- A first visit to a branch is mandatory, and detailed terms are given only in person
- The free transfer service to Russia via ERIP, launched in April 2026, was later switched off temporarily
## About the bank
The bank was founded in 1991 as Belpromstroybank. From 2011 it operated as BPS-Sberbank, and in 2021 it was renamed Sber Bank; the registration at the National Bank is dated 27 August 2021. If you see the old name in reviews or on cards, it refers to the same bank.
The owner is Sberbank (Russia), which holds 98.43% of the shares. Assets under IFRS for 2025 were about 7.8 billion BYN. In 2026 the bank is classed as a group II systemically important bank.
## Account for non-residents
The bank is open to Russian citizens without special conditions. A first visit to a branch is mandatory: a non-resident cannot open an account or card remotely, and a passport is needed. The website has a "Non-residents" section in the cards block, and reviews mention the Belkart-Premium guest card in Belarusian rubles. Detailed terms, including the list of documents, are given at the branch.
## Cards and payments
The guest card is a Belkart-Premium in Belarusian rubles, valid for 3 years, and payments in Russia go through Belkart. A February 2025 myfin.by review gave 60 BYN for issuance and free servicing.
- Mir cards are accepted at the bank's ATMs; the fee is set by the Russian issuer.
- Transfers from Russia can be received via ERIP and SBP (Faster Payments System).
- In April 2026 the bank launched a free transfer from Belarus to a Sberbank card by phone number via ERIP, from 1 BYN to 14,999.99 RUB per transfer. The service was later switched off temporarily.
The SberBank Online app works in Russian. No international card for payments outside Russia and Belarus appears in reviews for non-residents.
## Sanctions and risks
An EU ban on transactions with Sber Bank has applied since 2 December 2025 (19th sanctions package, adopted on 23 October 2025). Before that, the bank was under US sanctions (since February 2022) and sanctions by Canada and New Zealand (2023).
For a cardholder this means a risk of declined payments when a payment or transfer passes through foreign banks and services. The restrictions are less noticeable for transfers between Russia and Belarus and Belkart payments inside the two countries. For subscriptions, payments in the EU or international transfers, keep a backup option at another bank.
## Who it suits
Sber Bank makes sense for those used to the Sber ecosystem who make payments between Russia and Belarus: receiving transfers, withdrawing cash with a Mir card and paying with Belkart. It also suits those who only need a ruble card without an international network. It does not suit anyone who needs a card for payments outside the two countries or for European services.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sber Bank in Belarus the same bank as BPS-Sberbank?
Yes. The bank operated as BPS-Sberbank and has been called Sber Bank since 2021 (registered on 27 August 2021). It is unrelated to Neo Bank Asia, which is the former BTA Bank.
Can a non-resident get a Sber Bank card in Belarus?
Yes, non-residents can get a Belkart-Premium guest card in Belarusian rubles. A personal visit with a passport is required. A February 2025 review gave 60 BYN for issuance, so check the bank's tariffs before visiting.
Do Sber Bank ATMs accept Mir cards?
Yes. The fee is set by the issuing bank; a January 2026 mail.ru review put it at about 4% for Sber Bank, with a limit of 1,000 BYN per month. Settlement is in Belarusian rubles.
Can I send money from Belarus to a Sber card via ERIP?
In April 2026 a free ERIP transfer to a Sberbank (Russia) card by phone number appeared, and the service was then switched off temporarily. Check its status in ERIP and with the bank.
What does the EU ban mean for a customer of the bank?
Since 2 December 2025, European entities have been prohibited from carrying out transactions with the bank. For a customer this means a risk of declined payments and transfers that pass through foreign banks and services. Payments within Belarus and with Russia are not directly tied to the ban.