The Central Bank of Russia has brought buy now, pay later (BNPL) operators under its supervision following the entry into force of a law setting requirements for BNPL services. A register of admitted BNPL operators is now in place, with 14 organisations listed as of 1 April 2026, and the framework requires BNPL to be free for consumers while prohibiting different prices for the same product depending on whether it is purchased using BNPL. BNPL plan terms are capped at six months from 1 April 2026 and will be shortened to four months from 1 April 2028. BNPL debt above RUB 50,000 owed to a single operator must be transferred to credit history bureaus to support banks’ and microfinance organisations’ assessment of borrowers’ debt service-to-income ratios, while late-payment penalties are capped at 20% per annum of the amount of arrears.
Central Bank of Russia 2026-04-01
Central Bank of Russia begins supervising BNPL operators and registers 14 providers under new consumer protection rules
The Central Bank of Russia has brought buy now, pay later (BNPL) operators under its supervision under a new law that establishes a register of admitted operators and requires BNPL services to be free for consumers, with no price differentiation versus non-BNPL purchases. BNPL plan terms are capped at six months from 1 April 2026, shortening to four months from 1 April 2028, while BNPL debt above RUB 50,000 per operator must be reported to credit bureaus and late-payment penalties are capped at 20% per annum of arrears.