Russia (bbabo.net), - From January 1, 2022, banks and shops in Belarus are required to accept cards from the Russian payment system Mir. This became possible after the completion of the project for integrating the Belkart and Mir payment systems last year.

The corresponding decision is contained in the resolution of the National Bank of Belarus "On the circulation of bank payment cards and the functioning of software and hardware infrastructure facilities." As the regulator explains, “for banks participating in the Belkart payment system, from January 1, 2022, a requirement is established to accept Mir bank payment cards for servicing in all payment terminals in trade (service) organizations, payment terminals at cash points, ATMs and newly installed self-service payment terminals.

So now the Russians can safely come to Belarus with only one card "Mir", if necessary, withdraw money from it, pay in a store, cafe, hotel. But even last year, Mir was not accepted everywhere in Belarus.

Now Russians can safely come to Belarus with only one Mir card

Work on the implementation of the project between the two national payment card systems began in 2018. Recall: "Belkart" opened the first page of its history in 1994, then, under the auspices of the National Bank, the creation of a domestic payment system based on plastic cards was launched. To date, 21 Belarusian banks are members of the Belkart payment system, more than three million cards have been issued, they are accepted in 99 percent of shopping facilities. Here are just two figures: customers make transactions worth 38,000 Belarusian rubles every minute, and the share of non-cash payments on Belkart cards is 48.97 percent.

In Russia, the decision to create and develop an internal payment system that would not depend on external factors was made in 2014 after sanctions imposed by Western countries against the Russian Federation. The Bank of Russia established the National Payment Card System (NSPK), on the basis of which Mir cards were created. Today "Mir" is offered by all leading Russian and foreign banks operating in Russia, it is accepted throughout the Russian Federation and in a number of countries near and far abroad. Mir accounts for 25.2 percent of all card transactions in Russia and 32.3 percent of new card issuance. The national card "Mir" is more than 108.6 million holders. And their number is constantly growing.

Needless to say, the opportunity to pay with the Mir card in Belarusian stores is very important for many Russians. Indeed, from July 1 last year, Russian banks began to credit social payments exclusively to Mir: pensions, maternity capital, financial assistance ... Most pensioners switched to it from October 1, 2020. Civil servants, public sector workers, people receiving various budget payments receive their salaries on the Mir card. For example, recipients of state benefits and students.

According to official statistics, Belarus is among the top countries where Russians come for business, leisure, and shopping. According to Belstat, in 2020, the majority of organized foreign tourists and sightseers who arrived in Belarus are Russian citizens (64.5%). The results of the last year are just summing up, but, according to preliminary data, the Russians are again in the lead.

Russia is the most popular country to visit among Belarusians as well. But if the Russians come to Belarus mainly for recreation and business projects, the Belarusians most actively travel to Russia for study, work, and excursions. In recent years, the flow of labor migrants from Belarus to Russia has been growing. Now, according to experts, more than a million Belarusian citizens live and work in Russia. It is logical that "Belkart" and "Mir" plan to continue to do everything necessary for the mutual service of cardholders in the entire infrastructure of national payment systems.

Two largest Belarusian banks are ready to accept transfers from MirLast summer, a new project was launched - cross-border transfers by card number became available to Mir and Belkart cardholders. Now this does not require long account details and other additional data, the operation can be carried out in remote banking service channels, without visiting the office and waiting in line, which is especially important today. Funds are received on the recipient's card within a few minutes after the transfer. In addition, the MIR system and participating banks set low rates, which allows customers to save up to three percent on transfers. Alfa-Bank, Russian Standard Bank, Sberbank and Tinkoff are the first among Russian banks to provide such a service; they have successfully implemented all the necessary technological processes. The cards of the two largest Belarusian issuing banks - Belagroprombank and Belarusbank - are already ready to accept transfers from Mir. The list of participants in the payment systems "Mir" and "Belkart", which provide the possibility of transfers by card number, will expand as the project develops.

WHAT'S NEXT

Integration of the two national systems will continue within the framework of 28 union programs that were adopted last year. Eight programs are directly related to integration in the field of economy, monetary policy and finance.

One of the programs is aimed at the integration of payment systems in the field of national payment card systems, financial messaging and settlement systems, the introduction of an international financial messaging standard, a fast payment system, the development of financial technologies, harmonized approaches in the field of supervision and monitoring of payment systems. Russia and Belarus agreed to improve the mechanisms for the cross-border exchange of financial information between Russian and Belarusian credit institutions and legal entities, as well as to develop cooperation on the issues of fast payments, the transfer of financial messages and settlements, supervision of participants in the payment services market, and the development of financial technologies.

In addition, the programs define general guidelines for the formation of a single monetary policy in the future, the implementation of currency regulation and the creation of a common payment space within the Union State.

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