Limit on the number of bank cards: ABA explains the risk-based approach

After reports spread about an alleged ban on bank cards, the Association of Banks of Azerbaijan (ABA) issued a clarification. According to navigator.az, this is not a ban but a risk-based approach to the number of payment cards and electronic money-linked accounts.

What the approach involves

ABA's statement notes that cards used for salaries, pensions and other social benefits, cards linked to business accounts, and cards linked to deposit accounts are exempt from the rule. In other cases, each bank provides, for every card product it offers, one card in national currency and one card per foreign currency. This means a customer can obtain a separate card for each distinct card product offered by the bank — the limit applies to the count within a single product, not to the variety of products.

For payment accounts linked to electronic money, the baseline approach differs: two accounts in national currency and one account per foreign currency are envisaged.

Limits are not final

According to navigator.az, these figures are baseline and not strict. If a user provides a reasoned explanation for the purpose of using a card or account, if the transactions carried out match the information the bank already holds on the user, and if there is confidence the account is not used for illegal purposes, the bank or electronic money institution may raise the limits for that specific user.

ABA emphasizes that the goal of the approach is not to restrict users' needs but to ensure more effective risk management while contributing to a safe, sustainable payment ecosystem.

What it means for buyers and sellers

On listing platforms like Prayk, transactions are mostly settled by bank card or cash. For active sellers who want multiple cards, such as store owners, this could mean an extra documentation step, but since cards linked to business accounts are exempt, the main effect will fall on individuals requesting additional cards. Practical tip: before opening a new card, explain its purpose to the bank in advance — this speeds up the process if supporting documents are needed.

What shows up on Prayk

The platform currently has 1,015,290 listings and 9,042 stores published, with 28,031 registered users. At this scale, most daily transactions rely on payment cards, so clarity on card limits matters both for individual sellers and store owners. Users running stores can continue operating via the store catalog section, while the account security guide may be useful on the topic of payment safety.

Source: navigator.az, 2026.