Mir Pay Brings Offline Payments to Smartwatches
Within the next few months, shoppers in Russia are expected to be able to pay for purchases with smartwatches even when they have no internet connection. The National Payment Card System (NSPK) is preparing to launch what could become a new category of fintech service.
NSPK is currently testing the technology with two major banks whose identities have not yet been disclosed. The service is expected to become available to Russian consumers during the second half of 2026.
Offline Payments as the Next Step
Instead of tapping a bank card or even a smartphone, users will be able to complete offline transactions by holding a smartwatch near a payment terminal. To do so, they will install the Mir Pay app on the device and link a Mir payment card either through NFC or by entering the card details manually.
"Payments with these devices will work even when users have no internet connection. All information required for offline payments is securely delivered to the device's chip in advance while the device is connected to the internet," said Ekaterina Akkuzina, Head of Mobile Payments Development at NSPK.
For consumers, that creates more flexible payment options. In situations where mobile connectivity is limited or unavailable, a smartwatch can fully replace both a smartphone and a physical bank card.
A Chip Inside a Ring
Akkuzina noted that NFC chips are being integrated not only into smartwatches but also into rings, bracelets, key fobs, and other wearable devices.
NSPK is already testing these form factors for payments without mobile internet access. If the trials prove successful, accessories linked to a Mir payment card could become practical payment tools in situations where conventional online transactions are unavailable. The new payment model has broad potential, ranging from public transportation and retail stores to large public events, sports venues, tourism clusters, and university campuses.
The Central Bank of Russia has identified the rollout of innovations like these, stronger competition among payment products, and continued modernization of payments infrastructure as priorities for the national payment system between 2025 and 2027. That policy framework provides regulatory support for projects of this kind.
Infrastructure Continues to Evolve
Russian payment technologies saw rapid adoption in 2022 following international sanctions. According to NSPK, the number of Mir Pay users increased more than twentyfold that year. In 2023, major financial institutions, including Sber, VTB, Tinkoff, and Alfa-Bank, introduced NFC payment stickers as a direct alternative to smartphone-based payments. During the following two years, the country's payments infrastructure continued to evolve. By 2026, new payment methods - including pay services, QR-code payments, and biometric authentication - accounted for 20% of all transactions nationwide.
NSPK, which operates the Mir card payment network, continues to expand its ecosystem. The Faster Payments System (Sistema bystrykh platezhey - Faster Payments System, SBP) and biometric acquiring have become part of everyday payments. This fall, Russia is also set to introduce a universal QR code nationwide alongside the large-scale rollout of the digital ruble.
From Pilot Projects to Scale
Pilot projects involving payment-enabled rings, bracelets, and smartwatches have so far remained niche offerings at Russian banks, but they have the potential to reshape consumer preferences by expanding the range of payment experiences available.
Following pilot deployments with a limited user base, additional issuing banks are expected to join the platform gradually, allowing the technology to expand across retail and public transportation. Offline payments through Mir Pay on wearable devices represent a significant step toward building a more flexible and resilient contactless payments ecosystem.
