Starting May 1, 2026, new tariffs for transactions through the Fast Payment System (SBP) will take effect in Russia. Now, in addition to having to provide your TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) when making transfers by phone number, you’ll also have to pay extra on top of the transaction amount. Admittedly, the news sounds alarming, but in practice, it barely affects ordinary people. Let’s break down what’s changing for citizens, who will pay the fee, and how much.
SBP will now be paid. Fortunately, not for everyone
New SBP Tariffs Starting May 1, 2026: Who Will Pay the Fee
The decision on new SBP service tariffs was made by the Central Bank back in late March 2026. They take effect on May 1. But it’s important to understand who exactly these tariffs are aimed at.
The fee will be charged on transfers where one of the parties is a commercial entity. For example, if you’re buying bubble tea or coffee at a corner spot in a shopping center or café, or a souvenir from a self-employed specialist. In this case, there will be an additional charge on the transfer.
The fee amount depends on the transfer sum: for small payments up to 125 rubles — just 5 kopecks, and for transfers from 6,000 to 1 million rubles — a maximum of 3 rubles. The fee is charged on both sides — for both sending and receiving money.
It appears the fee will be charged specifically to banks — for using the system. Whether banks will pass these costs on to customers is a separate question, but nothing changes directly for citizens.
However, after this news was published, the Central Bank of Russia unexpectedly issued a statement saying that no fees would be introduced. But this refers to regular users. Businesses, on the other hand, will still be charged an additional fee for acquiring through SBP.
Commission-Free SBP Transfers: What Limit Applies in 2026
For regular users, SBP transfers remain free. This applies to:
- transfers to other individuals;
- transfers to yourself between your own accounts at different banks;
- transfers to accounts of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs;
- transfers to the government (taxes, fines, duties).
The free transfer limit for citizens transferring to themselves is 30 million rubles per month via SBP and 100,000 rubles to other people. This threshold has not changed. If you’re transferring money within this amount, there will be no fee.
It’s worth noting that debiting and crediting funds from citizens’ bank accounts to accounts of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs also remains free. That is, when paying for goods or services via SBP, you still don’t pay anything extra.
What Will Change for Regular Citizens with SBP Transfers Starting May 1, 2026
Wasn’t the TIN enough? Now there will also be a fee. Photo: IZ.RU
In short — nothing. The user experience remains the same: you open your banking app, select a transfer by phone number via SBP, and send the money. No fee is charged to you, and the interface doesn’t change.
But there’s a nuance worth keeping in mind. Banks now pay for every transaction through SBP. Theoretically, this could affect service conditions in the future — for example, banks may revise tariffs on other services to offset costs. There are no such signals yet, but it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on your bank’s terms.
Moreover, even the maximum fee of 3 rubles on a transfer of 100,000 rubles amounts to just 0.003% — this is significantly lower than fees for traditional card acquiring. The likelihood of a noticeable price increase for the end consumer is extremely low, although in high-turnover niches with low margins, businesses may try to pass costs on to customers.
A separate risk: banks may classify some transfers to self-employed individuals as “commercial,” even if they are personal in nature. Therefore, it’s worth being more careful when choosing the payment purpose in your banking app.
TIN Transmission for SBP Transfers Starting July 1, 2026
In addition to tariffs, there’s another important change that will take effect a little later. Starting July 1, 2026, banks participating in SBP will begin transmitting the client’s TIN when processing transactions. The TIN will become a universal identifier to help track suspicious transfers.
The purpose of the innovation is to combat so-called “droppers.” These are people who, for a fee, provide their bank cards and accounts to fraudsters for withdrawing stolen money. Linking the TIN to every transaction will make it harder to use front accounts.
For regular users, this means that transfers will become slightly more transparent to the banking system. It won’t affect the speed or convenience of transactions.
Who Will Be Affected by Paid SBP Transfers Starting May 2026
If you simply transfer money to friends, pay for purchases, or move funds between your own accounts — nothing changes for you.
The fee will apply not only to contactless payments but also to direct transfers
But here’s who really needs to understand the new conditions:
- business owners and self-employed individuals — to understand how banks may adjust tariffs for acquiring and accepting payments through SBP;
- those who make large transfers — it’s worth remembering the free transfer limit;
- all users starting July 1 — the TIN will be transmitted automatically, this doesn’t require any action on your part, but it’s useful to know.
Overall, the changes from May 1 are a story about the inner workings of the banking system. For iPhone owners who are used to transferring money through banking apps by phone number, everything will remain as it was. There’s only reason for concern if your bank decides to change its own tariffs — and that’s what you should be watching.
