Share of non-cash payments rises nearly 1 ppt to 86.7% in Q1 2025, 12% using QR codes and biometrics

ST. PETERSBURG. July 4 (Interfax) - The share of non-cash payments in Russia's retail turnover reached 86.7% in Q1 2025 from 85.8% at the end of 2024, with 12% of all transactions rendered using QR codes and biometrics, Alla Bakina, director of the Russian Central Bank's national payment system department, said during the Central Bank's Financial Congress.

"Considering the current figures, the figures for the first quarter, we expect the figure to be up to 90% by the end of the year," Bakina told reporters on the sidelines of the congress.

"The share of card payments for the previous year decreased by 6% and over two years by nearly 10%. Meantime, the use of alternative payment instruments to cards is growing. In the first quarter this year, we see that more than 12% of the total volume of non-cash payments were rendered using them. This is primarily using biometrics and QR codes," Bakina said.

In June, the Central Bank reported that bankcards remain the main payment instrument, although the number of transactions has been decreasing for two quarters in a row. In total, 14.9 billion transactions, up 100 million, for goods and services totaling 13.6 trillion rubles were effected using cards in January-March this year, down 200 billion rubles.

The number of payments using QR codes and biometrics increased to 800 million transactions in the first quarter of 2025, double the same period last year. The amount of purchases paid for using these methods increased by 389 billion rubles and exceeded 1.1 trillion rubles, the regulator said.