MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said that the sale of the cards would end by the end of the year.
It marks a major milestone as the agency slowly transitions from 1990s technology to the "tap and go" system used by OMNY cards.
The decision comes after the MTA determined enough riders are 'tapping into' the subway system, either by using credit cards or an app on their phones, or by using the new OMNY cards, introduced in 2019.
The agency announced in December that OMNY cards were available to 1.5 million reduced-fare riders, many seniors, and disabled people, the largest customer group to become eligible.
"After 32 years, it's time to say goodbye to the MetroCard and go all in on the fare payment system of the future," Lieber said. "Tap-and-go - already the choice for 65% of our riders - is not only easier and more convenient to use, it also opens the door for new discounts and promotions that'll put money back in riders' pockets."
Customers will still be able to use MetroCards to access subways and buses, and the readers are expected to be phased out over time.
The MetroCard was introduced in 1993, a major change to subway culture. Before that, riders carried around tokens which were officially retired in 2003.
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