The Yandex team announced the launch of a new financial product tailored for self-employed co-drivers. The program enables applicants to obtain a Yandex Pro debit card linked to Yandex Bank and compatible with the Mir payment system.
The bank card can be used for any purchase, but its standout feature is that payments for completed rides are deposited to the driver’s card three minutes after the trip ends, with zero transaction fees, according to Yandex Taxi’s press service.
Digital cards can be issued directly in the latest version of the Yandex Pro driver app. At present, physical cards are available in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, with plans to roll them out to other cities soon. Card maintenance is provided free of charge.
There has long been talk about Yandex entering the market to compete with other platforms that serve taxi drivers. The new product makes it possible to withdraw earnings from the driver app instantly to a card. As one industry observer put it, the arrival of such a product finally joins the lineup of tools drivers need to manage earnings in real time.
Among the primary benefits highlighted by specialists are a 10% return on fuel purchases, 5% back on shopping at Yandex Market, and easy payment for orders at fast-food outlets. In plain terms, drivers can maximize rebates on everyday expenses tied to their work, potentially lowering the overall cost of operating a rideshare business.
Experts note that the most important advantage lies in instant access to earned funds on a bank card without the extra charges that other services and banks typically impose. The absence of intermediaries is a recurring theme in explanations of how the system streamlines cash flow for drivers.
The leadership in Moscow’s taxi community stressed that Yandex has also signaled plans to embed this financial product within a working application. This means Yandex Pro taxi drivers will be able to view receipts, expenses, and transfers directly from the app, without needing to operate a separate internet banking tool.
Industry leaders expect the new Yandex Taxi product to motivate more drivers to pursue self-employment status and formalize their work. In the broader conversation about taxi regulation, this shift toward self-employment models is seen as aligning with evolving sector rules, encouraging drivers to participate in legal business practices.
Official voices note that self-employed drivers currently constitute a significant share of the metropolitan taxi workforce, and projections indicate this segment will expand further as policy and market conditions evolve. The shift is part of a wider restructuring of the taxi landscape as new regulations come into effect. Providers are racing to offer tools that help drivers operate within the legal framework, while marketplaces and platforms position themselves as essential enablers of compliant, transparent earnings and expense tracking.
In summary, the Yandex Pro debit solution offers self-employed drivers a practical, frictionless path to access earnings, earn rewards on routine expenses, and manage finances directly from their driving app. The move signals a broader push toward integrated financial products that support independent workers across major markets, including North America, where similar models are gaining traction as the gig economy matures.