Russia Unveils a Payment System Designed for the Age of Quantum Computing
The prototype is built to withstand cyberattacks that could emerge as quantum computers begin to break today’s encryption methods.
At InfoForum 2026, held at the Lomonosov cluster, researchers from Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod unveiled a prototype payment system called UNN PAY. The project is aimed at a future in which quantum computers pose new risks to financial data security.
A New Algorithm
UNN PAY follows a familiar cashless payment flow. A user is authenticated, initiates a transaction, and receives confirmation. The key difference lies in how data are protected. Security is based on a domestically developed algorithm known as Giperikum (a quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithm), which was designed with the threat of quantum-enabled attacks in mind. Communication between devices — a payment terminal and a smartphone — is handled via Bluetooth Low Energy, a widely used standard that allows the system to be deployed without overhauling existing infrastructure or hardware.
A Working Prototype
At InfoForum, the developers presented not a conceptual mock-up, but a fully functioning prototype.
The UNN PAY project is being developed by Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod together with its scientific and technology partner QApp. The work is being carried out under the Prioritet 2030 (Priority 2030) program and is focused on building practical payment technologies that can remain secure as quantum computing capabilities continue to advance.
