In recent years, biometric technologies have become an integral part of the financial sector, and this is not just a trend – it is the future that has already arrived. According to the latest data, around 40% of bank customers trust financial institutions to use biometric acquiring, and this figure continues to grow. It is expected that by the end of 2025, half of all merchant and service platform (MSP) payment terminals will support biometrics. However, as with any rapidly evolving field, there are inherent complexities and challenges.

Any person – any terminal

The law 572-FZ ‘On the Implementation of Identification and Authentication of Individuals Using Biometric Personal Data’, adopted at the end of 2022, was an important step towards the legalisation and scaling of biometrics in Russia. This law combines three key aspects: the voluntary provision of biometric data, the ability to manage one’s data, and security guarantees from the state. All collected data remains within the Unified Biometric System (UBS), and other participants in the ecosystem only receive vectors (analogue to card tokens).

To date, the EBS State Information System stores more than 3 million samples obtained through self-registration of users, while another 78 million samples have been imported from commercial biometric systems. Users can take advantage of 16 different services, including shopping and travel payments and remote business start-up. Biometrics registration is available both at 12,000 bank branches across the country and online via the Gosuservices Biometrics app.

Innovations from major players

Among the major banks actively implementing biometrics, VTB stands out as it is developing its platform in co-operation with the NSPK. A major breakthrough has been the installation of around 1 million biometric terminals, which do not need additional expensive components such as infrared cameras to ensure that a live person is recognised, rather than a photo, video or mask. This has significantly reduced the cost of the devices and made them accessible to a wider audience.

About 2 million terminals are projected to be installed by the end of 2025 out of a total estimated 4 million devices. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 67 million purchases have been made using this technology, demonstrating the growing confidence of users.

In addition, five metros in the country already accept face-to-face payment and the remaining two will be connected by early 2026. This not only simplifies the payment process for passengers, but also speeds it up considerably, which is an important factor when transport systems are under high pressure.

The future lies in biometrics

Biometric technology is a powerful tool to enhance security and convenience in the financial sector. Despite the challenges that exist, such as the need to comply with legislation and overcome consumer distrust, one thing is clear: the future of financial transactions will involve biometrics. Innovation in this area continues to evolve, opening up new horizons for businesses and users. The industry is ready for change and is committed to adopting advanced technologies to improve the customer experience.