Russia Introduces Two New Types of Payment QR Codes
The National Payment Card System has launched personalized QR codes for instant purchases and peer-to-peer transfers, marking a major shift in how Russians pay and send money.
Russia’s National Payment Card System (NSPK) has begun testing two new QR-based payment solutions in partnership with major banks including VTB, Gazprombank, and Tochka. The first product, a personalized QR code for buyers, changes the traditional payment process: customers generate a code in their banking app and present it at checkout, where the terminal scans it and completes the transaction through the Faster Payments System (FPS). The solution is particularly effective in high-traffic locations such as metro stations, gas stations, and retail chains.
The second innovation—C2C-QR—enables direct money transfers between individuals. A user creates a QR code with the amount specified and shows it to another person, who scans it and instantly sends the funds via FPS. Importantly, the sender’s phone number remains hidden, maintaining user privacy.
VTB plans to make personalized QR codes available to all VTB Pay customers in 2025, while Gazprombank expects to introduce QR-based transfers by the end of the same year.
NSPK’s new QR codes mark the next stage in Russia’s digital transformation of financial services. The technology not only speeds up payments but also reduces phishing risks, bringing the country closer to a unified and secure cashless ecosystem accessible to every user.
