Russians will be able to make QR-based money transfers via messengers and social networks in 2019, Izvestia reports with reference to their own sources.

You will need an app to make QR transfers via messengers (WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger) and social networks (VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Facebook), which is now being developed at the FinTech Association under the Bank of Russia. The app will be integrated into the express payment system.


The user will need to create a QR code in the app, add it to the bank card and save the changes. When you want to make a money transfer, open the app and click on that QR code. The app will open the payment window, where you choose the channel for the transfer (messenger or social network) and enter the recipient’s account and bank the amount of transfer.

The QR code option is supposed to become an alternative to the over-the-phone money transfers. The experts predict this innovation to increase non-cash transactions by 40%.


According to Izvestia, the new option goes along with global practice. For instance, China uses QR code transfers via WeChat messenger.

It is worth reminding that Sberbank planned to launch a QR code payment service in partner shops via the Sberbank Online app.


QR (quick response) code is an image containing encrypted text that can be deciphered by any smartphone with the corresponding app.

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