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By the close of 2022, the Russian domestic market for bank cards saw a substantial rise in circulation. In a single year, the total reached 389.6 million cards, marking a record annual growth of 18 percent, according to data from the Central Bank reported through RBC. This surge highlights a sustained expansion in consumer payment instruments that year and reflects broad adoption across households, retailers, and service providers.

In practical terms, the end of 2022 featured roughly 389.6 million cards issued to individuals, a 18 percent increase over the prior year. The pace represented the strongest annual growth since the Central Bank began recording data in a new format in 2014, underscoring a shift toward more widespread card usage and digital payment acceptance across the country.

Looking back to the end of 2021, about 301 million bank cards were circulating in the Russian market. That figure was an increase of 9 percent from 2020, illustrating a steady, though slower, expansion in the domestic card ecosystem during that period. Across earlier years, annual growth typically ranged from about 4 to 7 percent, with growth nearly flat at the end of 2018, indicating a prior level of stabilization before the uplift seen in the following years.

According to Olga Daineko, an analyst with the Financial Literacy Center, part of the Ministry of Finance, planning week-to-week expenses on a debit card is a practical way to manage money. This approach can help households track spending and simplify budgeting. Yet experts caution against leaving the entire balance on a single card. A portion should be directed toward savings accounts or other secure deposit options to cultivate income and build financial resilience over time.

In summary, the 2022 data reflect a continuing trend toward broader card adoption in Russia, driven by consumer convenience, merchant acceptance, and a growing emphasis on digital payments. The trajectory suggests that bank cards will remain a central component of everyday transactions, replacing or supplementing cash in many routine purchases, while financial authorities encourage responsible money management through diversified saving and budgeting strategies.