Russian Central Bank’s express payment system (currently in development) will increase the range of payment methods for purchasing goods and services in stores.

In particular, Vedomosti reports that apart from cash and card payment, users will be able to pay by scanning QR codes, which the Central Bank believes will help bring down the monopoly certain actors have over card payment in retail spaces.

When the customer makes a QR code payment via the express payment system, the money from their account will be transferred directly to the account of the store.


The easiest option for the buyer is to scan the QR code (via a mobile app) that contains the seller’s account details. The customer enters the purchase amount and confirms withdrawal of funds. The express payment system processes the transaction and transfers the amount to the shop’s account, and the seller is then notified that the funds have been credited.

Another option for the buyer is to scan a dynamic QR code displayed at the cashier and confirm the purchase. In particular, that is how Chinese systems китайские Alipay and WeChat Pay work.


The experts believe QR payments will be more convenient that card payments: at the very least, this method cancels the requirement to issue cards. Commission fees are expected to remain for stores, but they will be lower. The concept of acquiring bank is going to disappear and be replaced with a bank that does payment processing for shops.

Central Bank estimates that payments via the new express system will be launched for legal persons in the second half of 2019.

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