Back to mobile site

Moscow shoppers and travellers hit by payment system problem

April 3, 2026 7:13 AM EDT

A man walks past an office of the Russian largest lender Sberbank in Moscow, Russia December 24, 2020. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW, April 3 (Reuters) - ‌A ​problem ​with payment systems sowed chaos on Friday for some Russian shoppers, ‌forcing the turnstiles on the Moscow ⁠metro to allow people to enter without payment ‌and even forcing a ‌regional zoo to ask visitors to use cash.

The cause of the payment ​system problem was not immediately clear but shoppers and retailers said that ⁠they experienced problems with Sberbank, the country's biggest bank, and ​with payments with QR codes.

The central bank did not reply to ​a request for comment. ‌Sberbank said problems had been resolved but gave no details on ⁠what caused the problems.

Shops and petrol stations asked customers for cash for about an ⁠hour on Friday, citing a problem with payment ​systems, Reuters reporters said.

The Moscow metro turnstiles let people enter for free at one point, ‌TASS reported. A zoo in Belgorod said card payment systems were ‌down, and asked visitors to pay ⁠cash.

Moscow and the ‌surrounding region has ​a population of 22 million people.

(Reporting Elena Fabrichnaya; editing by Guy ‌Faulconbridge)



Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Reuters