Thanks to Cross-Border QR Payments Russians Abroad Feel at Home

Paying by QR code abroad is now almost as simple as paying domestically. Tourists and business travelers only need a smartphone with their bank’s mobile app installed. The Bank of Russia says that Russian banks, together with foreign partners, have already processed hundreds of thousands of such transactions.

A Global Trend

Alla Bakina, head of the national payment system department at the Bank of Russia, said in an interview with TASS:

Works Like a Standard QR Payment

The principle behind cross-border QR payments is similar to making a QR payment at home. A store displays a code at the checkout or on a terminal. The customer scans it using their banking app, sees the amount, and confirms the payment. Behind the scenes, a connection with a foreign partner is activated: the amount is debited from the customer’s ruble account, converted into the local currency, and credited to the merchant in line with the rules of the country where the transaction takes place.

For users, the key advantage is that there is no need for cards issued by international payment systems. A smartphone, internet access, and Russian banking apps are enough. The payment itself is completed in seconds.

Different Services, Same Convenience

Russian banks and payment services are also expanding their range of international payment tools. For example, Gazprombank announced in 2025 a service that allows customers to pay for goods and services abroad in rubles via QR payments through the Faster Payments System, including in Turkey, the UAE, and Thailand, with rapid settlement to merchants.

The Bank of Russia itself also launched pilot projects for cross-border QR payments with several countries back in 2025, aiming to simplify settlements for Russian citizens traveling abroad.