A substantial majority of Sber customers are receptive to digital innovations, including the use of biometric identification. Oleg Evseev, who leads Sberbank’s Biometrics Division, shared these findings during a press briefing by VTsIOM that summarized a national survey on how biometrics is perceived in Russia. The takeaway is clear: a growing number of clients view biometric technology as a natural extension of everyday banking and public services, not just a novelty.
Evseev noted that in the survey, roughly two out of three users who have tried biometric services at least once—whether through biometric authentication when accessing a service or completing a biometric transaction—intend to continue using these technologies. This pattern signals a lasting shift in user behavior, indicating that initial experiences with biometrics often translate into habitual use rather than one-off experimentation.
Currently, Sberbank processes biometric verification for more than 3 million individual customers each month, a figure that corresponds to roughly 5 million biometric transactions on a monthly basis. This level of activity reflects a maturation of the biometric ecosystem within the bank and underscores the growing demand for seamless, secure digital interactions in everyday life.
Evseev identified two primary catalysts driving the expansion of biometrics. The first is the development of affordable, easily understood services that people can trust, such as biometric authentication for account access, enrollment in biometrics, and contactless payments for transportation and daily errands. The second driver is a clear customer-facing demand for government-backed safeguards; more than 70 percent of respondents in the study expressed the view that biometric services should be governed by formal regulatory frameworks to ensure security and privacy.
In his remarks, Evseev stressed that broad adoption hinges on transparent, well-defined government rules that guide how biometric data is collected, stored, and used. He argued that such regulatory clarity would empower both the public sector and private enterprises to expand biometric offerings with confidence, while protecting user rights and maintaining trust in the system. The emphasis is on creating a stable foundation where citizens can rely on consistent standards across services, enabling businesses to innovate responsibly within a trusted framework.
Looking ahead, the leadership at Sberbank envisions biometrics evolving into a ubiquitous utility that mirrors the role of essential services like the internet or electricity. The trajectory points toward a world where biometric verification becomes a standard option embedded in a wide range of transactions and interactions, simplifying access and enhancing security for everyday tasks. This vision aligns with a broader digital transformation that prioritizes convenience without compromising safety, and it underscores the importance of coherent governance to sustain momentum in the biometric economy.