Russia is preparing to launch a comprehensive facial recognition payment system by 2025, aiming to create one of the largest biometric payment networks in the world. This initiative will build upon the existing Face Pay platform, which has been gradually implemented since 2021, and is a joint effort between Sberbank and the National Payment Card System (NSPK). To support the rollout, approximately two million biometric payment terminals are planned to be installed nationwide.
The project is set to begin with an initial rollout in Moscow’s Metro system in 2024. Face Pay, already in use in Moscow’s subway and several other cities like Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod, allows commuters to make payments by scanning their faces. By the second half of 2025, the system will expand across the country, enabling users to register their biometric data through their banking apps and make payments at any terminal, regardless of their bank.
Dmitry Malykh, Senior Vice President at Sber, confirmed the timeline, stating, “The project roadmap has already been established, and the network launch is slated for the second half of 2025. We are developing a biometric payment standard, based on which other market participants will be able to launch their biometric services.”
This initiative will also be integrated into Russia’s Unified Biometric System (UBS), a state-run database that centralizes biometric data for identification and authentication purposes. Since 2022, state-owned banks have been required to transfer customer biometric information to this system. However, user adoption has been sluggish, with the UBS database yet to surpass three million users, reflecting public resistance and potential privacy concerns.
The government envisions the system as more than just a payment platform. Planned features include verifying a user’s age for restricted purchases and enabling contactless check-ins at hotels.
There are also plans to support alternative payment methods, including cryptocurrency transactions, making the platform adaptable to emerging financial technologies.
Many have raised concerns over the system’s dual use, as facial recognition technology has already been leveraged to assist law enforcement in tracking political dissenters. While marketed as a tool for convenience, its integration into surveillance networks highlights significant privacy risks.
Once fully deployed, this system will allow individuals to make facial recognition payments seamlessly across different banks, marking the most ambitious step in Russia’s push toward a biometrically driven financial infrastructure.
