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- Joint project of Mastercard, Bakıkart and Kapital Bank was shortlisted in “Best Smart Ticketing Programme - Single Operator or Authority (More than 500k Daily Journeys)”
- Recognition positions Baku among leading global smart mobility hubs
- Celebrating the news, Mastercard launches new “1 qepik Mondays” campaign encouraging easier, more accessible contactless travel
Mastercard and BakıKart’s open-loop transit ecosystem has been officially shortlisted as a Finalist at the Transport Ticketing Global Awards 2026, one of the industry’s most respected international recognitions celebrating excellence in mobility, ticketing, and smart city innovation.
The project, “Baku’s Digital Revolution: Transitioning 60 Millions of Monthly Journeys to a Frictionless Open-Loop Ecosystem” (developed by Mastercard and K Group in collaboration with BakıKart), has been shortlisted in the category Best Smart Ticketing Programme - Single Operator or Authority (More than 500k Daily Journeys).
A Global Benchmark in High-Volume Transit Innovation
The Transport Ticketing Global Awards highlight groundbreaking mobility technologies and large-scale digital transformations across the world’s major metropolitan transport systems. Baku’s shortlisted category recognizes transit environments operating at significant scale - making it one of the most competitive award segments globally.
This year’s finalists include leading transport authorities and technology providers from India, Finland, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, underlining the international stature of the recognition.
A New Era of Contactless Mobility for Baku
The nomination reflects the rapid transformation of Baku’s transport network into a fully integrated, EMV-enabled open-loop ecosystem powered by Mastercard technology. Today, the ecosystem enables approximately millions of journeys every month through simple, frictionless bank card taps - eliminating the need for separate travel cards or top-ups.
K Group, as the local system integrator and transit technology provider, with their unique technology, contributed to the city’s smooth transition from closed-loop transport cards to a secure, bank-card-based travel experience without disrupting daily operations.
The project’s success is driven by its speed of delivery, scale of adoption, and the seamless collaboration between Mastercard, BakıKart, Kapital Bank, and technology partners - positioning Baku as one of the region’s leaders in digital mobility.
Enhancing Everyday Travel with “1 Qepik Mondays”
Alongside the project’s recognition, Mastercard introduced “1 Qepik Mondays”, allowing commuters to take their first metro or bus ride on Mondays for just 1 qepik when paying with NFC. The initiative aims to make everyday travel more convenient and affordable for Baku residents.
As part of the launch, commuters also enjoyed complimentary simit/gogal and tea/coffee from branded buses at central locations across the city - a gesture designed to create a more pleasant, welcoming start to the week and enhance the overall commuting experience.
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
www.mastercard.com
