Russian Stack for Faster Payments at Alfa-Bank
Alfa-Bank has moved processing for its Faster Payments System (SBP) transactions to the Russian Postgres Pro Enterprise database management system, with the built-in BiHA high-availability cluster.
The mission-critical banking service, which processes millions of transactions every day, now runs entirely on a domestic technology stack without foreign components. Moving to the new database management system strengthens the infrastructure that handles transactions and reduces reliance on foreign technologies.
A Double Layer of Resilience
Alfa-Bank needed more than just to meet the regulator’s requirement to switch to domestic software. It needed a simple but highly reliable stack that could keep transactions safe even in the event of a failure. That led the bank to choose Postgres Pro Enterprise with the BiHA high-availability mechanism. The solution is deployed within the financial institution’s own IT infrastructure.
“Fewer additional components in a mission-critical system mean fewer potential points of failure. This approach helps keep payment-service infrastructure stable and provides an additional reliability margin for further development,” said Alexander Trikoz, head of the Information Technology Support Department at Alfa-Bank.
The core of the payment service has a double layer of resilience, which is critical because millions of individuals and businesses use it every day to make payments through the Faster Payments System. The SBP is one of the key digital platforms that the Bank of Russia is developing together with the National Payment Card System (NSPK). According to the regulator, 18.3 billion transactions worth 103 trillion rubles ($1.22 trillion) were processed through the system in 2025, while the number of companies accepting payments through the SBP reached 3 million. The move to Russian software strengthens the technological independence of the country’s financial system.
A Solution for High-Load Systems
Alfa-Bank is not the first financial institution to move mission-critical infrastructure to a Russian database management system. Earlier, Bank Finservice migrated its data warehouse to Postgres Pro, while Gazprombank moved its automated system to the platform. The choice reflects the fact that Postgres Pro Enterprise, which is included in Russia’s domestic software registry, can handle some of the most demanding workloads in high-load systems. It incorporates more than 100 developments and can be deployed at industrial scale.
Demand for Russian database management systems will continue to grow across the financial sector.
From Forced Replacements to Strategic Programs
The shift to Russian database management systems was driven not only by the departure of foreign software vendors from the Russian market but also by regulatory requirements. Amid geopolitical instability, the government sought to strengthen technological sovereignty in critical areas. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree requiring companies operating critical information infrastructure, including government agencies, telecom operators and banks, to switch to domestic software in 2025.
The IT industry also moved actively to develop the technologies needed to replace imported components, including tools for storing and processing data. Sberbank, VTB, Pochta Bank and a number of other financial institutions moved their automated systems to domestic software within the required timeframe, in some cases using their own developments. By the end of 2025, Russian systems accounted for nearly 85% of all database management systems in the banking sector. That same year, the Federal Treasury migrated the State Information System for State and Municipal Payments (GIS GMP) to the Postgres Pro platform. This provided broad validation of the reliability and high performance of Russian database management systems.
A Competitive Tool
A few years ago, replacing imported technology was largely a forced measure. Now companies with high-load infrastructure are choosing Russian IT solutions as a practical tool for competing in the market. Domestic software products can handle heavy workloads, reduce exposure to external factors and, in turn, optimize IT budgets. According to Finrul Group, companies that have successfully completed the transition to Russian platforms report a 40% to 60% reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO).
As Russian data management platforms continue to improve, demand for them is expected to grow. Competition among vendors will also give companies more choice when selecting the most functional and reliable product.
