The Central Bank of Russia published payment market statistics showing that individuals increasingly used alternative non-card methods to pay for goods and services in 2025, raising their share of the total value of cashless payments to 14.1%, up 4.5 percentage points. Bluetooth Low Energy technology-based payments, which began to gain popularity from 2025 Q3, reached 35 million transactions worth over RUB 33 billion by the end of 2025. Payments using QR codes and biometrics increased to four billion transactions totalling RUB 5.7 trillion, 1.8 times and 1.4 times higher than the previous year, respectively. Use of e-wallets rose to 8.8 billion transactions worth RUB 13.3 trillion, up 1.4 times and 1.6 times, which the central bank linked largely to marketplace operating models. The Bank of Russia noted that updated payment market transaction data are available in its National Payment System Statistics.
Central Bank of Russia 2026-03-13
Central Bank of Russia reports alternative payment methods rose to 14.1% of cashless payment value in 2025
The Central Bank of Russia reported a significant rise in alternative non-card payment methods in 2025, increasing their share of cashless payments to 14.1%. Bluetooth Low Energy payments reached 35 million transactions worth over RUB 33 billion, while QR code and biometric payments totaled RUB 5.7 trillion, both showing substantial growth from the previous year. E-wallet transactions surged to 8.8 billion, valued at RUB 13.3 trillion, largely due to marketplace models.