Kyiv, October 16, 2026 — The leading electronic communications operator of Ukraine Kyivstar and the global technology company Mastercard became finalists of the international PAY360 Awards in the "Best Innovation in Mobile" category for the successful testing of Starlink Mobile (Direct to Cell) satellite technology on 4G POS terminals in Ukraine.
Kyiv, October 16, 2026 — The leading electronic communications operator of Ukraine Kyivstar and the global technology company Mastercard became finalists of the international PAY360 Awards in the "Best Innovation in Mobile" category for the successful testing of Starlink Mobile (Direct to Cell) satellite technology on 4G POS terminals in Ukraine.
The main goal of the project is to provide an additional level of resilience for the country's payment infrastructure. During testing, the companies confirmed the ability of 4G POS terminals to operate via the Kyivstar-SpaceX network in places where the classic mobile network is unavailable or damaged. This opens up opportunities for further use of the technology in payment solutions, including in remote locations, in front-line areas, and in cases where terrestrial telecom infrastructure is temporarily unavailable due to shelling.
"Reaching the finals of the PAY360 Awards is an international recognition of the innovative potential of our joint project with Mastercard and its practical value for Ukraine. During testing, we were convinced that payment terminals can work via satellite technology where there is no classic communication. The large-scale implementation of Starlink Mobile for all 4G Kyivstar subscribers consolidates Ukraine's leading position in the development of satellite technology. And testing the technology on SIM cards for payment terminals expands the possibilities of its practical application and creates an additional level of stability for making payments," notes Ilya Polsakov, Director of Development of New Business Areas at Kyivstar .
"The international recognition of the successful testing of Starlink Mobile technology on POS terminals, which Kyivstar conducted in partnership with Mastercard, confirms the enormous significance and potential of this technology - both for financial market participants and for each consumer, as it opens up the opportunity to conduct transactions even where standard communication methods may be unavailable. We are pleased to be Kyivstar's partner in implementing this important project to support the sustainability of the payment infrastructure and are ready to continue to apply our efforts and expertise to scale it," emphasizes Inga Andreeva, General Director of Mastercard in Ukraine and Moldova.
Starlink Mobile (Direct to Cell) is a satellite technology that allows compatible 4G devices to connect directly to satellites in open areas without special additional equipment.
The testing took place within the framework of the strategic partnership between Mastercard and Kyivstar and the signed Memorandum of Cooperation. Within the framework of the cooperation, the companies are working on the development of innovative technological solutions in several areas at once: increasing the stability of the financial infrastructure, expanding the availability of financial services, developing new products based on Big Data and analytics, in particular solutions for financial scoring, as well as promoting cashless payments among small and medium-sized businesses.
The PAY360 Awards are an annual payments awards ceremony hosted by The Payments Association in the UK. The awards recognize companies and projects around the world that demonstrate significant achievements in the development of payment technologies, innovation and collaboration in the industry.
