System for conversation: when will the alternative to Mir maps be launched

The new payment system from Sberbank, Alfa and T-Bank may be operational in 2028, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. The infrastructure and technological solutions for this have already been created by the market. It is important to combine them and integrate them into a common product. Then it can be offered to customers. An alternative system will focus on non—card-based payment methods — biometrics, QR codes and NFC - this approach may well compete with the Mir system. Why this is necessary is in the Izvestia article.

The new payment system of the Russian Federation

An alternative to the "World" in the Russian Federation may appear in two or three years, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. The development of the system from the Association of banks led by Sberbank, T-Bank and Alfa-Bank will require huge investments, but in general, the infrastructure for non-card payments, which the players want to focus on, is already in a high degree of readiness. Finalizing the system will take less time than creating it from scratch.

The bank association intends to create a second payment system that will develop alternative payment methods for purchases, rather than compete with Mir cards from the National Payment Card System (NSPK). At the same time, three banks can become founders at once with the possibility of joining other participants.

"The project will definitely not be based on the infrastructure of any one bank," the press service of the Savings Bank clarified to Izvestia.

The development of an alternative payment system is at an early stage — discussions and the formation of a concept are still underway, the bank said. As soon as the parameters are ready and determined, the credit institution and its partners will be able to submit an offer to the market.

The system should be independent both legally and technologically, while using the best practices of the participants, the press service of the credit institution emphasized. The issue of cards is not excluded if there is market demand or access to international markets, but now there is no need to start with them. The main focus of the bank association is on modern payment methods: QR codes, contactless technologies (Bluetooth and NFC), biometrics and other innovative solutions.

— The emergence of new payment systems based on new technologies is certainly interesting for the market. The project has good prospects for development," said Vitaly Kostyukevich, Director of Absolut Bank's Retail Products Department.

First of all, the new system will support healthy competition in the sector, the development of innovations and the introduction of advanced payment solutions, which is unlikely in the mode of operation of only one player in the market, the press service of Novik Bank said.

The idea of creating a second payment system was voiced at the forum of the Central Bank Finopolis-2025 — then the head of Alfa-Bank, Vladimir Verkhoshinsky, said that it was "in the air." According to him, the creation of an alternative to the Mir system would promote the development of innovations in the country, make the market competitive and less prone to monopoly. It would also increase the stability of the entire payment infrastructure of the Russian Federation.

The head of the Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullina, took it favorably: the regulator supports such market initiatives. But she noted that it would be cheaper to set up a functioning payment system. Nevertheless, if major players are willing to invest and create an alternative, the Bank of Russia will not be against it.

At the end of the discussion, the head of Alfa-Bank promised that market participants would return to the Central Bank with a draft of a new payment system.

Why do we need an alternative?

— According to our estimates, the new payment system may appear no earlier than in two or three years, - said Vitaly Kostyukevich from Absolut Bank.

The creation of the Mir system and the transfer of banks to it took about two years, which is a fairly quick time for such a large—scale reform, Natalia Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global, recalled. For comparison, the Fast Payment System (SBP) has been implemented for about four years. The new cardless system may appear within one to four years, depending on the support of the state, the Bank of Russia and integration with the digital ruble, the expert expects.

The creation of an alternative payment system will require huge efforts from Sberbank, T-Bank and Alfa-Bank, says Georgy Nikonov, CEO of the Vepay payment service. In addition to technical and bureaucratic tasks, the key challenge is to convince customers of the value of the new product. The project can be beneficial for the largest market participants, as it will allow operations to be carried out without NSPK commissions. However, success is possible only with a wide payment acceptance network, which will require extensive work.

In terms of functionality, the new system will probably not be inferior to the current NSPK solution, and if successfully developed, it will be able to quickly take a significant market share, said economist Andrei Barkhota. It is expected that banks will rely on loyalty programs — cashbacks, bonuses and personal offers, which will attract users. If the project turns out to be convenient for them, the new system can become a real alternative to QR payments from the NSPK.

Investments in the project may amount to about 10 billion rubles, said Vasily Kutyin, Director of Analytics at Ingo Bank. However, they are likely to grow two to three times, because combining technologies, creating new systems and integrating banks will require significant resources.

In the Russian payment market, the Central Bank simultaneously acts as the owner of the NSPK and the regulator, setting the rules of the game, explained Igor Dodonov, an analyst at Finam Financial Group. This situation creates a potential conflict of interest: the regulator insists on introducing a universal QR code and assigning the NSPK the role of the sole operator, which, according to leading banks, restricts competition and hinders innovation in the financial sector.

This situation probably explains the desire of a number of major players to create a payment system that is independent both technologically and legally, the expert added. In addition, financial organizations have a commercial interest: with the increasing use of SBP, traditional card payments are losing popularity.

Market participants predicted that by 2026, up to 47% of non-cash transactions in Russia would take place without bank cards, and by 2030, up to half, Natalia Milchakova added. Currently, about a quarter of payments are made without "plastic" through QR, biometrics and mobile applications.

The cardless payment market is growing rapidly and has high potential. The popularity of bioequaring is also increasing — the number of payments per person has jumped 11 times compared to last year, said Vasily Kutyin.

The second payment system is being created to support the introduction of new technologies and prepare for the launch of the digital ruble, Natalia Milchakova concluded. It is conceived not so much as a counterweight to the NSPK, but as a response to the challenges of modern times.