VEON and Mastercard Join Forces to Accelerate Accessibility of Financial Services

VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON) , a global digital operator and Mastercard collaborate to accelerate the development of inclusive, intelligent and accessible financial services across Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The collaboration is designed to bring together VEON’s local digital platforms, customer reach, data-driven capabilities and emerging VEON Digital Finance strategy with Mastercard’s global payments network, technology and financial services expertise. Together, the organizations intend to explore the development of a generation of financial services, including AI-powered credit scoring, embedded finance and digital wallets, subject to applicable regulatory requirements. The solutions will also provide merchant services, loyalty and remittances for consumers, small businesses and enterprises across VEON's markets. Across many countries, millions of people and businesses remain underserved by traditional financial institutions. Limited credit history, cash-heavy economies, fragmented payment infrastructure and distance from formal banking channels continue to restrict access to financial services. VEON and Mastercard intend to help address these barriers by combining trusted local distribution, AI-enabled analytics and secure global payment technologies to create more relevant, affordable and accessible financial products.