Digital Platforms Propel Russia’s Economic Engine
Platform-based digital infrastructure now drives over a fifth of Russia’s total trade, boosting business growth and opening new regional development pathways.
Tangible Economic Growth
In 2024, digital platforms contributed an additional 6.3 trillion rubles to Russia’s GDP through the production of goods and services, according to Andrey Sharonov, Chairman of the Board of the Digital Platforms Association. He cited research from the Higher School of Economics at the SPIEF 2025 forum.
Last year, the turnover of Russia’s largest digital platforms totaled 12 trillion rubles. While marketplaces continue to dominate, other segments—including cloud services, SaaS products, and digital tools for small businesses—also played key roles in this growth.
The IT sector is not just about digitalization—it delivers measurable economic output, creating jobs, goods, services, and opportunities for new business models. Digital platforms are redefining industries such as retail, logistics, education, and public administration.
Speed, Quality, and Scale
As digitalization progresses, consumer expectations are shifting. People now expect not only high-quality goods and services, but also fast delivery, round-the-clock availability, and a seamless user experience—even in small towns and remote regions.
Marketplaces are enabling nationwide product accessibility, educational platforms let people anywhere in Russia upskill and reskill, and digital public services provide an efficient, user-friendly channel for accessing government support.
The government is also leveraging platforms to streamline operations—from public service delivery and procurement to budgeting and infrastructure planning. Digitization is boosting healthcare and education while expanding the active economic base and tax revenues. Importantly, it is drawing informal businesses into the formal economy, unlocking more of their growth potential.
Digital platforms are also a key driver of entrepreneurship. In small towns, one in five business owners launched their ventures through marketplaces. According to RBK and INFOLine Analytics, 71% of rural sellers offer locally made products, fueling regional manufacturing and small-batch production.
Platforms are also generating new employment opportunities. More people are using them to offer services across a wide range of fields—from education and finance to IT and law.
Platforms for Export
Some Russian digital platforms have already expanded internationally. In particular, several are in use in African countries and are being positioned for adoption across the Global South, where independence from Western tech giants is a strategic priority.
Fintech platforms (such as neobanks and payment systems), marketplaces, and SaaS products have strong global potential. They could find traction in regions including the CIS, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, where demand is growing for reliable, cost-effective digital services.
However, global expansion is not without challenges. Sanctions and stiff competition from established Western platforms like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce pose significant obstacles. Overcoming them will require sustained effort and innovation.
Still, Russia’s digital ecosystem is evolving rapidly. The first wave of SaaS and cloud platforms emerged only in 2019–2020, and by 2022, the country was experiencing a full-scale digital boom. Today, Russia is actively building its own platform economy—tailored to both local conditions and international demands. The growth trajectory resembles a high-speed train accelerating before the eyes of the world.
