We recently published data on the fast payment system in Russia, and the numbers are impressive. According to the results of the first quarter of 2025, citizens performed 4.1 billion transactions through the SBP for a total amount of 22.6 trillion rubles, which is 1.6 and 2.1 times higher than in the same period last year. Experts predict further growth — the volume of transactions through SBP may increase by another 35%, confirming the growing popularity of the system among banks and customers.

According to research, in the first quarter of 2025, 7 out of 10 Russians used transfers through the fast payment system, and half made payments for goods and services. On average, each citizen carried out 29 transfers and 17 purchases through the SBP.

For businesses, the growing popularity of SBP is also obvious. The number of trading and service enterprises (TSPS) accepting payments through the system has reached 2.4 million units, and the number of small and medium-sized enterprises using SBPs has exceeded 1.9 million, which is almost a third of all SMEs.

This confirms that the SBP connection is becoming a standard for businesses, allowing companies to accept instant transfers with minimal commission and increase customer loyalty.

Let’s take a closer look at what SBP is.

What is a Fast payment System in Russia?

The Fast Payment System (SBP) is a modern payment service that allows instant interbank transfers by phone number or QR code. An important advantage of SBP is that the commission is minimal or non-existent.

For ordinary users, transfers through the fast payment system are made by phone number. For settlements between businesses and individuals, a special identifier is used — the merchant ID, which is issued by the bank. For such transactions to be successful, both the client’s bank and the company’s bank must be connected to the SBP.

The main functions and capabilities of SBP in financial organizations

The SBP has two key functions:

• payment for goods and services by QR code,
• interbank money transfers.

Payment by QR code. A business can place a QR code at the checkout or in an online store, and the customer only needs to scan it through the bank’s mobile application. This solution helps to reduce the cost of acquiring: if the bank’s commission for accepting cards is usually 1-3.5%, then the commission of the fast payment system does not exceed 0.7% of the purchase amount. For example, the owner of a flower shop has connected a business security system, placed QR codes in a point of sale and an online catalog. Now customers pay for purchases directly, and the commission for the store is only 0.4% instead of the standard acquisition rates.

Another advantage is the ability to accept payments even in cases where the buyer does not have a bank card with him, but has a smartphone.

Interbank transfers via the fast payment system. For companies, the SBP is becoming a convenient tool for settlements with partners and suppliers. Thanks to this format, you can save on fees: if a regular transfer to another bank costs 1-1.5%, then it is often carried out free of charge through the SBP. However, there are limits on the amounts that are worth remembering.

Limits on transfers

It is worth noting that the SBP is regulated by law, and certain limits are set for users. According to the law, through the fast payment system in Russia, you can transfer up to 30 million rubles per month for free between your accounts in different banks — the limit can also be spent on a one-time basis.

There are restrictions for transfers to other individuals: the maximum amount of one transfer is 1 million rubles. At the same time, banks can set their own limits. For example, T-Bank has a limit of 5 million rubles per month.

Since January 2025, transfers to other people’s accounts through the SBP of up to 100,000 rubles per month remain free. If the amount exceeds this threshold, a commission is charged — 0.5% of the transfer amount, but not more than 1,500 rubles. Thus, transfers through the fast payment system remain one of the most profitable tools for users.

The conditions are even more attractive for legal entities and businesses. As a rule, there is no commission for transfers to company accounts through the SBP. However, for some types of transactions with legal entities and government institutions, a small rate of up to 0.4% may be applied. For example, when paying for insurance services, the commission is 0.2% of the transfer amount, but not more than 750 rubles.

Thanks to these conditions, SBP in financial institutions has become a sought-after tool not only for private clients, but also for companies looking for an economical way to reduce the cost of transfers and acquiring.

How to activate the Fast Payment System

Businesses, banks, and individuals connect SBPs in different ways.

For business. To accept payments through the fast payment system for banks, companies and individual entrepreneurs must have a cash register, terminal, or online platform compatible with the SBP. After that, it is necessary to conclude an agreement with the SBP member bank, which will process the transfers. This approach allows companies to accept transfers through the fast payment system directly, reducing acquisition costs and increasing customer loyalty.

For banks. It is possible for banks to speed up their connection to the SBP with the help of a reliable technology partner. For example, at Right line we have developed the SBP Connect solution, a certified software included in the unified register of Russian software. SBP Connect allows banks to integrate all current scenarios for transferring funds through the fast payment system:

• C2C — instant transfers between individuals’ accounts in different banks;
• Me2Me — transfers between your accounts at different banks;
• C2B — payment of goods and services by an individual to a legal entity;
• B2C — accepting payments from customers and refunding funds if necessary;
• B2B — transfers between companies;
• C2G — payment for state and municipal services (taxes, fines, state duties);
• Cross—border transfers – transfers in favor of individuals abroad;
• Cashback payments and disputes — instant refunds and resolution of conflict operations.

SBP Connect integrates with various payment systems of the bank through special expansion points, which allows financial organizations to provide flexible services to customers, increase their retention and attract new users. The solution is scalable, works in a fault-tolerant cluster and provides round-the-clock operation.

For individuals. In some banks, the SBP connection for business and private clients is carried out simultaneously with the opening of an account. If your bank is connected to the SBP, it is enough to select the “Quick payment system” item in the payment settings and activate the service.

Thus, SBP in financial organizations provides a convenient, fast and secure way to make payments for all categories of users, and modern solutions like SBP Connect allow banks to quickly integrate the service and offer customers the full range of features of the fast payment system in Russia.

The pros and cons of a fast payment system

SBP has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• Low fees. For most operations, the rate is 0.4–0.7%, for housing and communal services companies — 0.2%. The maximum commission for transfers over 1,000,000 ₽ is 0.15%, which is beneficial for expensive transactions, for example, when selling cars.
• The speed of payments. Funds are instantly credited to the seller’s account, allowing them to be immediately used in circulation.
• An alternative to terminals. If the cash desk is not working, the customer can pay using the QR code of the SBP at the checkout or online.
• Savings on cash collection. For a cash-based business, transfers via SBP reduce costs and simplify security.

Disadvantages:

• Limits on transfers. The maximum transaction amount depends on the rules of a particular bank, which may be inconvenient for large purchases.
• Limited coverage of banks. Not all banks support SBP, so some customers may not be available.
• Lack of cashback. Payment via SBP does not accrue bonuses, as with card payments, since the fees are lower.
• The transfer cannot be canceled. An erroneous payment using an incorrect phone number cannot be canceled.

Using the fast payment system in Russia is becoming a profitable tool for businesses and individuals, despite the restrictions, due to low fees and instant transfer processing.