In 2023, Russian banks will have to spend large amounts to ensure the introduction of a new payment method with Mir cards with the use of a smartphone that will generate a QR-code.

Kommersant has learnt that the National Payment Card System (NSPK) required the Russian banks to create a new payment method by the end of April 2023. Experts believe that for it they will need to replace up to half of all POS-terminals, of which there are almost 4 million today.

In particular, late last week the National Payment Card System sent a technical bulletin to banks, according to which from April 2023 acquiring banks will need to ensure that half of POS-terminals accept payments using a QR-code generated on a smartphone of a cardholder with the Mir payment system, and from October 25, 85% of POS-terminals.
 
For banks, the mandatory implementation of the new technology is a problem due to the scale of the task. According to the Bank of Russia (Central Bank), 3.7 million POS-terminals are installed in Russian trade and service enterprises.

Kommersant’s source says the terminals of the most of the banks do not have QR-code readers, so they will have to replace them. A terminal with a reader costs 15-20 thousand rubles, and the total cost of upgrading may cost banks tens of billions of rubles.

At the same time, as the bankers note, all this is only needed for those having IOS be able to pay via smartphones, because those who use Android can pay with MirPay.

Experts belive that the intorduction of the new method without material support from the payment system will be quite costly for banks in conditions of shortage of suppliers.

However, it is not known when trade and service enterprises will start accepting payments via QR-codes: the NSPK cannot oblige the companies to do it.

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