The analyst spoke about the reasons for the reduction in the number of bank branches.

The pace of closing bank branches in Russia continues to accelerate amid the digitalization of financial services. Igor Rastorguev, a leading analyst at AMarkets, told Izvestia on April 15.

"One well-functioning mobile channel replaces dozens of fixed points. With the current level of digital penetration, it becomes economically impractical to maintain thousands of offices," the expert noted.

The expert explained that one of the key reasons is the rising cost of technology. According to Expert RA, the largest banks' IT expenses reached 27% of operating costs in 2025. At the same time, about 80% of Russians use remote banking services, whereas ten years ago this figure did not exceed 25%.

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Despite this, banks are still unable to completely abandon their physical presence. Some transactions, including mortgage processing, resolving issues after anti-fraud checks and obtaining the first card, still require a personal visit from the client.

Of particular concern is the situation in small towns and rural areas, where branch closures may lead to a lack of alternative service channels. In this regard, the Bank of Russia has already obliged credit institutions to maintain points of physical contact in such settlements, and is also considering the development of additional mechanisms to ensure access to cash.

According to Rastorguev, in the next five years, the number of bank offices may decrease to 11-12 thousand. At the same time, further development of the digital infrastructure, including the introduction of the digital ruble and the expansion of remote services, will become a key factor in the stability of the banking system.

Rastorguev stressed that the consolidation of the market will continue: large banks with a developed digital ecosystem will strengthen their positions, while less adapted players will gradually leave the market.

On the same day, it was reported that in the first three months of 2026, the number of bank branches decreased by 483, to 21.87 thousand. This follows from the statistics of the Bank of Russia (Izvestia studied it). Such figures are a continuation of the transformation that has been going on in the market for several years, said Maxim Gmyrya, founder of the Sequoia Group risk management agency.

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