National Payment System
The national payment system allows individuals and legal entities to make cashless settlements and payments.
The national payment system comprises 24 payment systems, 364 money transfer operators, and 4,482 bank payment agents (subagents).
The Bank of Russia ensures the stability and smooth functioning of the national payment system. It also provides the necessary infrastructure for cashless settlements in the Russian Federation.
In 2014, the Bank of Russia established the National Payment Card System Joint Stock Company (NSPK) that launched Mir payment system cards. NSPK also processes domestic payments made in Russia with cards of international payment systems.
They account for 41.3% of all domestic card transactions in Russia and 41.2% of debit and credit card issuance.
Any citizen of Russia can apply for a Mir card. It is provided to all pensioners, civil servants, public sector employees, and persons receiving welfare payments (e.g. recipients of social benefits or students).
The Bank of Russia dedicates special attention to the development of payment technologies and services. In 2019, the Faster Payments System (SBP) was launched. SBP allows individuals to instantly transfer funds to each other using mobile phone numbers, pay for purchases, pay utility bills and make a wide variety of other transfers.