Credit Cards in Cuba
Most American Bank Issued Cards will not work in Cuba.
If your credit card is issued by a non-American bank, ask your card provider if it’ll work in Cuba. Visa credit and debit cards are typically accepted by tour operators, and you may be able use them to pay with large retailers. You can also use your Visa card to withdraw funds from an ATM, a bank or a government exchange facility — also called a Cadeca. Mastercard is not accepted at ATMs in Cuba, although can you use your card to withdraw money from a bank or a Cadeca. While your card might find takers at big hotels and tour operators, card transactions remain limited due to patchy Internet access. If you have an American credit card, prepare to pay up to 3% of every international transaction in foreign transaction fees.
Stonegate Bank is the one US bank that services Cuba. Along with Natbank and Banco Popular of Puerto Rico, Stonegate is authorized by the Central Bank of the Republic of Cuba and the US Office of Foreign Assets Control to provide Mastercard-branded credit and debit cards that are valid in Cuba.
