Why do ATMs and shops in Mongolia just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
My Wise card was basically useless in Mongolia. Even in central Ulaanbaatar, ATMs wouldn’t process it. Tried at Bogd Bank, State Bank, and again at the airport-all declined. Shops didn’t even recognize the card brand. Locals were friendly and explained that Mongolia’s banking infrastructure often rejects cards not issued in Asia or the U.S. I suggest arriving with USD or EUR and exchanging it locally-it’s way more reliable.
I had some luck at a TDB ATM inside the Shangri-La Mall in Ulaanbaatar. I withdrew in MNT using chip+PIN, after switching my Wise balance to local currency in the app. Didn’t work anywhere else, but at least I got cash. Just a heads-up: Wise won’t help much for daily purchases here. Most Mongolian businesses still prefer domestic cards or cash-even in urban areas.
I was traveling through Erdenet and Darkhan, and my Wise Mastercard didn’t work at any ATMs I tried-including Golomt and Trade & Development Bank. POS machines at small shops and even hotels weren’t much better. Eventually, I used Wise to send money to a local guide’s account, and he withdrew it for me. Not ideal, but it got me through. Definitely bring physical USD if you're heading outside UB.
Just visited Ulaanbaatar last month and had a really tough time using my Wise Visa. Tried ATMs at Khan Bank, Golomt Bank, and XacBank-all either declined the card or gave me a generic transaction error. Even large stores like State Department Store and restaurants in Sukhbaatar Square refused it. Locals told me foreign prepaid cards often get blocked due to fraud prevention policies. I had to rely on USD cash I’d brought in.