Overview
- From September 1, 2026, all banks must support the universal QR standard that unifies SBP, bank payment services and future digital-ruble payments.
- Digital-ruble settlement capability is mandated for systemically important and key payment banks from September 2026, for universal-license banks from September 2027, and for the remainder from September 2028.
- NSPK says more than 200 banks and about 7.4 million retail points can already use the universal QR technology.
- PSB reports the universal QR is enabled on roughly 90% of its acquiring terminals and says digital-ruble and bank-service payments will launch soon.
- Banks report contactless phone and biometric payments are drawing users from QR, with T‑Bank saying over 30% of former QR users have shifted to T‑Pay on iPhone, while officials and lenders still foresee no major impact on volumes or service costs.