Sberbank unveils payment option for iPhones at its ATMs
In a significant development at the Finopolis forum, NSPK unveiled the details of their "Wave" prototype, a potential game-changer in the Russian payment landscape. Unlike traditional NFC-based systems, "Wave" does not require the smartphone to be held close to the terminal for payments.
Sberbank, one of Russia's leading banks, has reportedly made strides in addressing the biometric payment issue, a crucial step towards implementing "Wave" technology. However, no specific details have been provided about when iPhone payments through "Wave" will become available.
NSPK showcased the "Wave" prototype in October 2024, indicating that progress is being made. Sberbank CEO Herman Greff, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of July, emphasised that the bank has chosen to avoid relying on foreign providers, including Apple, following their departure from the Russian market.
VTB, another Russian bank, initiated "Wave" testing in Moscow, the Moscow region, and Kazan as early as June. The technology is designed to work in offline mode and is compatible with new payment terminals that support Bluetooth. Interestingly, the terminals display a message suggesting that iPhone payments are coming soon.
As of August 2025, no exact timeline or confirmation of Sberbank's rollout of iPhone payments with "Wave" has been publicly announced. The technology's role in this process remains somewhat unclear, with general information available about Russia's payment landscape, QR code payment rollouts, and Sberbank's digital payment innovations, but no direct mention of iPhone payments or Wave technology integration.
Given the historical challenges faced by iPhone payments in Russia due to restrictions on NFC-based services like Apple Pay, it is essential to monitor official Sberbank announcements or trusted Russian financial news outlets for updates regarding this exciting development. With 20 banks reportedly showing interest in the "Wave" technology, it seems that this contactless payment solution could revolutionise the Russian payment landscape.
The technology presented by NSPK, "Wave," has garnered interest from various Russian banks, including Sberbank and VTB, both testing its compatibility with new offline payment terminals. However, no specific timeline or confirmation regarding Sberbank's iPhone payments integration using "Wave" technology has been given yet.
Amidst the advancements in the Russian payment industry, particularly the QR code payment rollouts and digital payment innovations by Sberbank, the role of technology in facilitating iPhone payments through "Wave" remains to be clarified.
