Moscow-based Evrofinance Mosnarbank has officially launched the first China UnionPay (CUP) card in Russia. The bank plans to issue ten thousand cards mainly to those businessmen and tourists who frequently visit China.

On 5 August Evrofinance Mosnarbank began to issue standard debit cards in Russian Roubles bearing the CUP logo with “62″ as the first 2 digits of PAN. The cards also bear the logo of Union Card, one of the biggest local bankcard organizations in Russia, thus the cards can be used both in the local network of Union Card in Russia and in the global network of China UnionPay. The cards are classified as Classic, Gold and Platinum.

After issuing CUP cards in Japan and other East Asian countries, China UnionPay launches the same cards for the first time in Russia and also in Europe. Previously in March 2007, UnionPay launched its card acceptance business on Russia’s ATMs.