Just last week we wrote about the most discounted smartphones of 2026, and there were some really good prices. But this week brought news that somewhat dampens that joy. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has set the amount of the technology levy on electronics, including smartphones. Very soon, every device imported into Russia will be subject to an additional payment. What does this mean and how much will prices increase?
Get ready for another round of Android smartphone price increases
What Is the Technology Levy on Electronics
The technology levy in Russia is a mandatory non-tax payment introduced for electronics imported into the country. Formally, it is neither a tax nor a customs duty, but in practice it represents an additional financial burden on every unit of goods entering the Russian market.
Amendments introducing the new levy were adopted back in November 2025. At that time, a maximum threshold of 5,000 rubles per unit was established. Now the Ministry of Industry and Trade has determined specific rates for different categories of electronics. The funds go to the federal budget (officially as part of support for the domestic technology sector).
How Much Will the Technology Levy Be in 2026
The technology levy rate by category looks like this:
- Smartphone: 250 rubles;
- Laptop: 500 rubles;
- Cordless phone: 100 rubles;
- Other telephone devices: 25 rubles.
The technology levy amount of 250 rubles for a smartphone sounds modest. Especially against the backdrop of the maximum threshold of 5,000 rubles established by law. This is an important detail: the current rates may only be starting ones. The list of electronics subject to the levy is planned to be expanded, which means rates could also increase over time.
Who Pays the Technology Levy in Russia
Formally, the new technology levy is paid by manufacturers and suppliers — that is, businesses. The mechanism works as follows: when a product enters circulation, the system calculates the technology levy amount within three days, after which the payer has 10 days to make the payment. If the levy is not paid, the system blocks the sale of the product, and the debt is collected under tax rules.
Be prepared to pay the technology levy
Artem Sokolov, President of the Association of Internet Trade Companies, has already criticized the scheme: in his opinion, it would be more appropriate to collect the levy after the product is sold, not after it enters circulation. This shifts the financial burden onto importers before the product is even sold. What this leads to in practice is obvious: the costs are ultimately included in the price and passed on to the end buyer.
When Will the Technology Levy Take Effect in Russia
The technology levy takes effect on September 1, 2026. This means that all officially sold smartphones in Russia imported from that date onward will be subject to the new payment. Fall shipments (traditionally a period of inventory updates and new flagship releases) will be fully subject to the levy.
A separate story involves parallel imports and gray channels: smartphones delivered directly from China to private individuals are formally not subject to the technology levy. The price gap between official retail and gray channels after September could become even more noticeable.
Smartphone Price Increases in 2026
Two hundred fifty rubles against the cost of a flagship is not much. But the technology levy is being introduced not in a vacuum. There are other reasons why smartphones are getting more expensive in 2026. In short: several factors are acting simultaneously. A memory crisis in the components market has raised production costs. Currency exchange rates add their own instability. And now there’s the technology levy on top.
Smartphones will get more expensive not only and not so much because of the technology levy
On top of everything, paid IMEI registration in Russia continues to be discussed — another initiative that, if adopted, would add several hundred rubles to the cost of each device. Add up all these factors, and you realize: smartphone sales in Russia in the fall of 2026 will operate at different price tags than they do now.
Android smartphones in Russia have been steadily getting more expensive year after year. The introduction of the technology levy itself will add no more than 250-300 rubles to the price, including trade markups. But combined with other factors, this is yet another step toward more expensive smartphones. If you’re planning to upgrade your phone in 2026, do it now.
