Experts named the preferences of Russians when paying for mobile communications

Russian users prefer to pay for mobile communication services using non-cash methods: according to the results of the first quarter, the share of offline payments was only 2% compared to 6% in the same period of 2024. This is the conclusion reached by Megafon experts after analyzing a study of the anonymized data of the company's subscribers (available from the editorial office).

The use of the Bank of Russia's Rapid Payment System (SBP) is growing most intensively. In March 2025, the number of payments through the SBP increased by 12.7% compared to the same period of the previous year.

"We strive to develop online communication payment capabilities, as we see how convenient it is for the customer. The smart autopayment service, launched last year, is growing rapidly. With it, you do not need to select a specific transfer date or set an account balance, upon reaching which the balance is replenished — the option itself will determine the moment when it is worth making a payment, preventing our client from being left without communication," said Farida Akhundova, head of the Financial Services business unit. Megafon products and services.

The choice in favor of SBP is also being consolidated in retail. For example, if in 2022 the vast majority of customers of the combined retail network of Megafon and Yota preferred to pay for communications and other purchases with bank cards, today there is a significant shift towards payments through SBP. In February of this year, their share in the total retail turnover increased by 70% compared to February 2023.

As the authors of the study noted, among the factors that influenced the change in preferences of Russians are restrictions that appeared during the pandemic of coronavirus infection. Another significant factor in the decline in the popularity of cash was the provision introduced by law on January 1, 2025, on replenishing the balance with cash only upon presentation of an identity card or through Public Services.