Payment trends in Russia: 2026 Q2 results
As of the end of 2026 Q2, the proportion of non-cash transactions in retail turnover edged down by 0.5 pp, reaching 88.4%. This was attributed to the fact that people paid in cash more often in April–June than in 2026 Q1. Thus, the growth rate of non-cash payments was somewhat lower than that of cash payments.
Nevertheless, people continued to actively use non-cash forms of payment for purchases and services. Many prefer alternative methods to bank cards. Alternative payments accounted for 15.1% in the total amount of non-cash payments, up by 0.2 pp compared to 2026 Q1. The percentage of payments using QR codes and biometrics rose most significantly. Over the quarter, people made 1.1 billion purchases worth ₽1.7 trillion using these tools, which is 18% more in number and 13% in amount than in the previous quarter.
Bluetooth payments are gaining popularity. In 2026 Q2, individuals made 86 million such payments worth ₽64 billion, which is 30% and 17% more, respectively, than in the previous quarter.
Over the reporting period, bank clients – both individuals and businesses – made 32.1 billion payments worth ₽491.5 trillion. The growth rate equalled 9.9% in number and 12.8% in amount compared to 2026 Q1.