Moldova expands youth cultural vouchers via Mastercard
Moldova’s Ministry of Culture has expanded its national Cultural Voucher program for youth through a new fintech integration with Mastercard and Paynet. Announced at the Moldova Digital Summit 2026, the upgrade transitions the initiative from a purely virtual smartphone application to a flexible card-based system.
The newly developed mechanism allows eligible young citizens to utilize their state-funded cultural allowances via physical or digital payment cards. Previously, the financial support was accessible exclusively through virtual MPay accounts embedded inside the government's EVO mobile super-app.
Specific deployment guidelines and public activation steps for the card payment system will be released following the conclusion of the current beta testing phase.
Strategic accessibility goals
Speaking at the Moldova Digital Summit 2026, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Marcela Nistor, emphasized that simplifying access remained a primary policy objective.
"From the very beginning, we wanted this program to be as accessible as possible. Our partnership with Mastercard and Paynet addresses this need exactly. Through this program, every 18-year-old in the Republic of Moldova can feel the government’s support in discovering the country’s cultural heritage, books, performances, and events," stated Marcela Nistor.
Program scaling and demographics
The National Cultural Voucher Program targets Moldovan citizens upon reaching their 18th birthday, granting each beneficiary a one-time financial subsidy of €51 (approx. 1,000 MDL). The funds remain valid for 12 months and can be redeemed for books, theater plays, concerts, museum admissions, and eligible domestic cultural events.
Beneficiaries possessing a qualified electronic signature can track balances through the payments module of the EVO app. The program has steadily grown its merchant network, integrating local commercial platforms including Afisha, iTicket, Librarius, Aalto, Livetickets, Cărturești, Cartier, Cartego, Bookzone, Film.md, alongside the recent onboarding of the "Născut în Moldova" festival.
Official data shows consistent growth since the initiative launched in November 2022. Annual adoption rose from roughly 3,500 young citizens in 2023 to approximately 9,500 beneficiaries by 2025. The Moldova Digital Summit 2026, which hosted the announcement, convened over 110 speakers and 70 specialized sessions focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital economy growth.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
