Bir, the Caucasus’ first fully integrated banking, payments and e-commerce ecosystem, has partnered with UnionPay International to expand acceptance of the global payments network across Azerbaijan.
The partnership is designed to increase payment connectivity for UnionPay cardholders while giving local businesses greater access to international customers through Bir’s banking and payments infrastructure.
The first phase of the rollout is now live, allowing UnionPay cardholders to make online purchases with more than 1,000 merchants and withdraw cash from nearly 1,300 ATMs operated by Birbank, the banking arm of the wider Bir ecosystem.
The next stage will extend UnionPay acceptance to Birbank’s point of sale (POS) acquiring network, enabling contactless and chip-based transactions across thousands of physical retail locations in Azerbaijan. The companies also plan to introduce transfers from Birbank users to UnionPay cards.
Once fully implemented, UnionPay will be available across Bir’s major payment channels, including ATMs, e-commerce platforms, POS terminals and mobile POS devices, creating one of the country’s broadest international card acceptance networks.
The agreement comes as Azerbaijan continues to strengthen its position as a connection point between Europe and Asia for trade, tourism and business activity. Expanding UnionPay acceptance is expected to reduce payment friction for international visitors while allowing local merchants to serve a wider base of overseas customers.
Launched in 2025, Bir brings together several Azerbaijani consumer and financial services brands, including Birbank, Birmarket, Milliön payment terminals and the m10 digital wallet. The ecosystem serves more than 5 million users and also works with partners including Trendyol and the BakıKart transport payment solution.
Bir said the partnership supports its broader strategy of simplifying everyday financial activity and accelerating the development of Azerbaijan’s digital economy by connecting consumers and businesses with global payment networks.
Bir CEO of Payments Jalal Orujov said, “We are continuously investing in building a future-ready payments infrastructure that connects Azerbaijan with the world’s leading payment ecosystems. Our partnership with China’s UnionPay represents another important step in that strategy. By enabling UnionPay acceptance across our acquiring network, we are making Azerbaijan more accessible for international visitors while helping local businesses serve customers from around the world with greater convenience.”
UnionPay International CEO Wang Lixin said, “We are pleased to partner with Bir to further expand UnionPay’s acceptance network in Azerbaijan. This collaboration strengthens payment connectivity between Azerbaijan and Asia and enables UnionPay cardholders to enjoy a convenient, secure and seamless payment experience whether withdrawing cash, shopping online or, soon, making purchases at merchants across the country. We look forward to working with the Bir ecosystem to support growing cross-border travel, trade and commercial exchanges.”
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