SberPay remains seamless for users despite shifts in the external payments market
The exit of external providers from contactless payments in Russia has not disrupted Sber customers who rely on SberPay for purchases made with smartphones. The bank’s press service clarified that the move by some international services does not affect the convenience or reliability of SberPay for everyday transactions, a stance given in response to questions about the Samsung Pay discontinuation in Russia.
In explaining the broader market dynamics, Sber highlighted that the country and global developments have actually accelerated the advancement of its own payment technologies. The bank has long pursued a multi-faceted approach to mobile payments, and this strategic push has been reinforced by recent changes in the payments landscape.
Dating back to 2019, Sber began building the SberPay family of payment methods and soon introduced QR code payments as an additional option. This evolution reflects a deliberate effort to diversify payment channels and increase convenience for both online and in-store purchases.
When Western services faced restrictions in early 2022, Sber already had a portfolio of solutions ready for deployment. The bank recalls that by 2022 it had resumed the SberPay NFC service on its own technologies, restoring the ability for Android users to pay with a simple tap on their phones. This restart underscored Sber’s commitment to preserving mobile payments during dynamic times.
For Android smartphones, SberPay with NFC enables purchases with a single tap. Users can also set up SberPay in advance, save store loyalty card barcodes for checkout, and verify balances during the purchase process. The bank reported that daily transactions via this service have surpassed 3.5 million, signaling strong user adoption and reliability.
Today the SberPay ecosystem includes several methods: one-click online payments without entering card details, payments via Sber QR, Android smartphone payments in offline stores, and even payments facilitated by a smile in some scenarios. The bank emphasizes that these options are designed to cover a wide range of shopping needs and contexts.
In addition to serving its own customers, Sber has opened Sber QR code payments to other financial institutions. Thirteen banks have already joined this initiative, expanding the reach of QR-based payments across the banking sector. This openness is part of Sber’s broader strategy to foster collaboration and payment interoperability.
In 2023, turnover from Sber QR payments grew more than fourfold, and the total number of transactions increased sixfold. The monthly user base for Sber QR surpassed 10 million unique users, a milestone that reflects growing adoption and trust in QR-based payments. The trends point to ongoing interest and engagement with QR code solutions as more consumers gravitate toward contactless and convenient payment methods.
Sber has stated expectations that the popularity of QR code payments will continue to rise, particularly in the wake of changes in the mobile payments landscape in 2022 when several major players withdrew from the field in Russia. This shift has helped accelerate the usage of alternative payment channels offered by Sber.
According to official data, more than 40 million Russians use SberPay to complete purchases each month. This figure underscores the scale and everyday relevance of Sber’s mobile payment services for a broad user base across the country. The bank previously announced the Samsung Pay termination in Russia and clarified that SberPay remains a core option for safe, fast, and convenient payments on mobile devices. (Source: Sber press service)