No issues elsewhere, but in Mali, both ATMs and stores keep rejecting my card. Anyone know if this is common? Any banks that actually work?
Best approach in Mali is to carry euros or USD and exchange at bureaux in Bamako, like those near Avenue Al Qoods. Use Ecobank ATMs with a Visa if you must, but expect rejections. Forget about using cards in stores - cash is the rule everywhere. Guesthouses like Sleeping Camel can also point you toward reliable exchange options.
I had nothing but issues in Mali. My Monzo Mastercard, Wise Visa, and Revolut all got rejected at multiple ATMs in Bamako, including Ecobank and BDM. Even supermarkets in ACI 2000 wouldn’t take foreign cards. I had to rely on cash I exchanged from euros at a bureau near Marché Rose. If you come here, don’t count on cards - bring plenty of euros to change.
I managed to use my Wise Visa at Ecobank near ACI 2000 in Bamako after several failed attempts at other banks. Limit was around 200,000 CFA per withdrawal. A traveller I met at Sleeping Camel Guesthouse also had luck at Banque Atlantique with his Revolut Visa. Stores still didn’t accept cards, but at least ATMs gave us cash. Always bring euros or USD to exchange as backup.
In Mali, ATMs are unreliable for foreign cards. Ecobank, Banque Atlantique, and BDM (Banque de Développement du Mali) in Bamako are the only ones with a chance of working, and even then Visa is far more likely than Mastercard. Stores rarely accept foreign cards - cash in CFA francs is almost always required. If your card is being rejected, it’s unfortunately normal here.