Smartfin, a Moscow-based provider of mobile acquiring solutions for SMBs (operating under the brands 2can and ibox), has secured $3 million from several funds under the management of Da Vinci Capital. Inventure Partners, one of the early investors in the company, also took part in the round, which was announced earlier this week. “Since our first investment in 2can and ibox, the …
Cryptocurrency-based projects are springing up in Russia, as President Putin sees in these technologies a potential instrument for the country’s modernization and the central bank has officially recognized bitcoin a “digital currency.” One of the latest initiatives from the private sector came earlier this month from Aeroflot. The giant Russian airline company is investing 24.6 million …
Aeroflot considers using cryptocurrencies and Blockchain in its payment operations Read More
Telegram, the international messenger launched by Pavel Durov in 2013, is now bringing support for payments via chatbots, nearly two years after introducing them. “Imagine a world where you can order pizza, pay for a pair of shoes, hire a cab, or refill your subway pass — all in a few button taps on Telegram,” suggests Telegram …
Chronopay, a major online payment provider operating in Russia from its Amsterdam headquarters, is including bitcoin to its payment gateway. Its clients will thus be able to accept the popular cryptocurrency. Chronopay founder Pavel Vrublevsky, a controversial figure, had sharply criticized Bitcoin in the past. He has changed his point of view radically: “Having thoroughly studied the …
Chronopay to support Bitcoin and Blockchain “revolution” Read More
Yesterday Google announced the launch of Android Pay in Russia, with the participation of 15 banks at start. This makes Russia the 11th country covered by Google’s tap-and-pay solution. Thousands of organizations across the country already accept Android Pay, including Magnit, Perekrestok, Starbucks, KFC and Rosneft. Thus Russians may now fuel their car, buy groceries, …
Today Yandex.Money, a leading Russian e-payment system with some 30 million user accounts, announced a digital distribution agreement for Nintendo Switch in Russia. The e-payment service has made available on its website such games as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe*, 1-2-Switch, Snipperclips: Cut it out – together. Before this distribution agreement …
Yandex.Money distributes Nintendo Switch games in Russia and Turkey Read More
E-merchants selling their services and goods via Vkontakte (VK), the number one social network in Russia, can receive payments from VK users more easily, with the money being sent to administrators and editors of events, public pages and communities in messages. In addition to stimulating social commerce, these features are presented a first step towards transforming public …
VK now supports payments to e-merchants and online communities Read More
Qiwi, a NASDAQ-listed Russian payment company, has created a subsidiary to develop Blockchain products, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported earlier this week. The new company, dubbed ‘Qiwi Blockchain Technologies’ (QBT), will be headed by Alexey Arkhipov, who currently serves as director of crypto-technology development at Qiwi. This year, Qiwi may invest some 100 million rubles …
Yandex.Checkout, the online payment solution offered by Yandex.Money, can now be used by app developers and e-merchants to accept contactless payment via Apple Pay. “This payment method may stimulate impulse purchases. Everything is so simple: one touch of a finger on your smartphone — and you are all set,” said Alexander Magomedov, Chief Commercial Officer …
Apple Pay made available to Russian e-merchants and app developers Read More
Russia’s Association Financial Innovation (AFI) released a “roadmap” for improving the regulation of the National Payment System (NSPK in Russian) that includes using blockchain technology, according to Plusworld, a Russian news source. Following discussion, the proposal is to be submitted to the Bank of Russia, the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Financial Monitoring Service and the …
Blockchain considered in proposal to improve regulating Russia’s National Payment System Read More
Sberbank of Russia, the country’s largest banking institution, is planning to set up what it describes as a national e-commerce ecosystem with the use of its own resources and infrastructure. The system would be based on the model used by major international e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba Group of China. It is understood that the project will …
Sberbank mulls launch of national e-commerce system in Russia Read More
Payment and e-commerce professionals from all across Europe, including Russia, are cordially invited to the international Merchant Payments Ecosystem (MPE2017) conference and expo, which will take place in Berlin, February 14-16, 2017. Europe’s top event about merchant payments, MPE 2017 is about CX, POS and card acquiring. It will feature 300+ CXOs and MDs, 150+ speakers, 1000+ of participants …
