Non-cash participation: banks have begun to compensate small businesses for rising VAT costs

Russian banks are helping their business clients cope with the increased costs after the introduction of VAT on acquiring. Since January 2026, these services are subject to VAT at the rate of 22%. For small companies, commissions already reach 5-10% of operating profit, and tax changes may add another 0.2–0.5 percentage points. Against this background, the largest financial market players, T—Business and Sber, have launched compensation programs: entrepreneurs will receive up to 50% VAT refund for 2026. Similar measures are proposed by PSB and Sovcombank. According to experts, support can reach up to 800 thousand companies and even partially restrain prices. Izvestia investigated how this could affect customers.

How can a business save money on acquiring

Since 2026, acquiring in Russia is subject to value added tax (VAT) at a rate of 22%. Previously, these services were exempt from tax, so their actual cost to businesses has changed. At the same time, the commission of banks for accepting non–cash payments now averages 1.5-2.5% of the transaction amount, said Igor Dodonov, an analyst at Finam Financial Group. Accordingly, with the introduction of VAT, it increases by the amount of tax. So, with a 2% commission on a purchase of 1 thousand rubles (20 rubles), 4.4 rubles are additionally charged, explained Maria Ermilova, associate professor at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

First of all, the changes affect small companies that do not pay VAT or use preferential treatment.: they cannot deduct it, so the costs are increasing, Igor Dodonov stressed. The burden is becoming especially sensitive for companies with a high proportion of non-cash payments.

At the same time, some banks have already added VAT to the current fees, and some have retained tariffs, partially taking the burden on themselves, the expert noted. Against this background, entrepreneurs have begun to actively use alternative payment methods, for example, through the SBP or cash.

At the same time, according to the Ministry of Finance, the introduction of VAT on banking services can bring about 30 billion rubles a year to the budget.

Against this background, financial organizations began to launch support measures. For example, Sber compensates for 50% VAT on trade acquiring for companies with a turnover of up to 20 million rubles per year.

T-Business uses a similar approach: it returns half of the VAT accrued on commissions not only for trading, but also for online acquiring in 2026. At the same time, the program is available to companies with a turnover of 10 thousand per half year and up to 20 million per year if the entrepreneur is not a tax payer.

In addition, the cost of accounting services is saved for clients, tax and reporting consulting support has been expanded, and promotion tools are available within the bank's ecosystem.

PSB offers a discount of up to 70% on online sales registers when acquiring is enabled, said Inna Yemelyanova, Director of the bank's acquiring department.

Also, many financial organizations help clients switch to an automated simplified taxation system (AGS), in which VAT and insurance premiums are not paid. However, only companies operating in certain fields of activity are suitable for the transition to the ACS.

In parallel, other players are implementing their own support measures. So, Sovcombank has a special offer for new customers — zero commission for trade acquiring in the first three months, said Alyona Averochkina, Managing director of small business. Additionally, free transfers were made to individual accounts for sole proprietors, which reduces the cost of banking services.

In turn, Bank Saint Petersburg did not raise commissions for clients, said Dmitry Tumansky, director of the Corporate Business Products Department. Moreover, in the first quarter of 2026, a special offer was in effect for small businesses with a reset of the commission for turnover up to 500 thousand rubles per month.

Question tip: some restaurants and cafes will be exempt from VAT by the end of the year

The authorities are easing the tax burden for SMEs after the changes in 2026

How does the introduction of VAT on acquiring affect buyers

The tax changes have primarily affected offline retail and fast-growing e—commerce, where acquiring is not an option, but a basic infrastructure, said Egor Rannev, head of the T-Business Small Business Development Department.

According to experts, compensation of 50% VAT on fees for trade and Internet acquiring can reduce the burden for at least 800 thousand companies. At the same time, banks rely not only on cost reduction, but also on revenue support: entrepreneurs, for example, are offered tools to promote the ecosystem to the audience.

In general, such measures seem to be a logical reaction of banks to a change in the rules of the game, said Alexey Kuzmin, Chairman of the Board of the National Savings Bank. According to him, acquiring is a key trade infrastructure, and any change immediately affects the business economy.

Even partial compensation — for example, a refund of up to 50% of the tax — allows you to return part of the margin, which is "eaten up" by costs. For companies with high cashless turnover, this translates into significant amounts on a monthly basis, Alexey Kuzmin emphasized.

At the same time, cost increases are traditionally partially shifted to the consumer, he continued. Compensations can smooth out this effect, although they may not eliminate it completely.

The demand for such programs will be high, says Natalia Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global. According to her, for small and micro businesses, acquisition costs can reach 5-10% of operating profit, and for large chains this is just one of the items that reduce profitability.

The smaller the company's turnover, the more it feels the strain, the expert added. In such a situation, businesses either have to look for ways to reduce it or optimize costs. Therefore, any support measures related to acquiring will be in demand.

It is possible that the situation will change with the development of the digital ruble, which will potentially reduce dependence on acquiring, Natalia Milchakova believes. However, new solutions may also bring additional regulatory and tax changes.