Der Spiegel on Sunday posted its latest revelations on NSA surveillance based on leaks from whistle-blower Edward Snowden. According to top-secret documents, the NSA "widely monitors international payments, banking and credit card transactions.” In 2011 the NSA’s own financial databank, known as “Tracfin,” contained 180 million records, 84 percent of which were of credit card transactions with a focus on Visa customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In previous weeks the spy agency has admitted to watching international financial transactions for counterterror and anti-trafficking purposes. However, the extent of the NSA's ability to access financial transactions has made even the NSA's U.K. counterpart concerned, according again to leaked documents. Via Der Spiegel:

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