Russia's NPCS plans to launch offline payment for goods via customer QR code in 2026

MOSCOW. Dec 17 (Interfax) - The National Payment Card System (NPCS, the operator of Mir cards) plans to implement offline payment for goods via a QR code which will be generated on the customer's phone in 2026, the head of the Fast Payments System development division Nikita Chukhachev said.

"Let's talk about plans for next year. We want to develop two areas next year, the first area is offline, when there is no internet on the customer's device. This often occurs, for example, in stores where there is no internet connection. In this area, we will transfer a limited number of QR codes for payment to the device," Chukhachev said during the NPCS Technological Conference.

"So while the device is online, it will receive a certain number of QR codes so that they can be used offline. There will be mandatory requirements for storing these QR codes and a payment limit - up to 3,000 rubles. But we will discuss this point with the market," he said.

The lifetime of such a QR code will be limited, meaning it will not be possible to download this QR code, he said. The supply of QR codes will be updated when the device appears online.

"Currently, we are discussing this issue within a pilot group. A daily limit for purchases offline using such QR codes might be set," he said.

Another area planned for development in 2026 is the integration of customer QR codes with loyalty programs of trade and service enterprises, he said.

The Central Bank of Russia previously said that it plans to introduce the possibility of offline payment with digital rubles. In September 2023, the regulator expected this possibility to appear by the end of 2024. In September 2025, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said that the regulator currently plans to focus on other, higher priority areas of platform development, and will return to the issue of offline payment at a later stage.