Published on: 2026-05-25
Source: Central Bank of Russia – Central Bank of Russia –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
In the first quarter of 2026, citizens became more active in using alternative payment methods: QR codes, biometrics, payment applications, and other non-card services. Their share in the total volume of cashless payments increased by 0.8 percentage points over the quarter, reaching 14.9%.
From January to March, about 1 billion purchases using QR codes and biometrics were paid for — 1.7 times more than the same period last year. In ruble equivalent, the volume doubled and reached 1.5 trillion rubles.
Electronic wallets also showed significant growth. In the first quarter of 2026, citizens made 2.5 billion transactions totaling 3.6 trillion rubles. This is 1.3 times more than in the first quarter of 2025, both in quantity and volume. Most often, electronic wallets were used for purchases on the Internet.
Overall, consumers prefer cashless payment methods. The share of cashless payments in retail turnover has increased by 0.9 percentage points since the beginning of the year and reached 88.9% by the end of March 2026.
The number of cashless transactions by legal entities increased by 28% compared to the first quarter of 2025 and amounted to over 2 billion. More than half of such transactions are business payments to individuals (B2C). Over the year, the number almost doubled, exceeding 1 billion. This may be related to the expansion of self-employment participation in the economy—for example, in delivery and taxi services. The volume of transactions increased by 14%, reaching 17.5 trillion rubles.
About other trends in the development of the national payment system is told inin the new analytical reviewBank of Russia. The material will be published quarterly.
Photo on preview: TippaPatt / Shutterstock / Fotodom
Please note; this information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It represents an exact report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.