Veon entered into a global partnership with Mastercard to enhance customer access to financial and digital services across five key markets in Europe and Asia.

In a statement, the operator said the tie-up covers its operations in Russia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh, with the aim to support the financial and digital inclusion of “traditionally underserved consumers” in these countries.

Veon explained the move will allow it to scale its digital financial services efforts by providing “best-in-class products” to consumers and merchants.

Sergi Herrero, co-CEO of Veon, said the company placed the broadening of digital financial services as a “key growth priority” to meet evolving customer needs.

Following the move, he said Veon’s operations across the five markets will get “world-class capabilities to fast-track their plans for developing digital financial services”.

The tie-up builds on an earlier partnership between Mastercard and Veon’s digital bank in Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank, sealed in May 2020.