In Russia, starting March 1, 2026, biometric identity verification will become mandatory for obtaining microloans. This measure will help prevent loans from being issued without the borrower’s knowledge, said Vladislav Svyatik, Deputy CEO of the Center for Biometric Technologies (CBT).
The new rule will become part of the government’s program to combat cyber fraud.
The goal of the new measure is to make it impossible to take out a microloan without a person’s knowledge.
According to him, Central Bank statistics show that the number of complaints against microfinance organizations in the first nine months of last year increased by 10%
To register biometric data for a microloan, people will be able to visit a branch of an authorized bank or use a free service offering on-site registration. Specialists will help record a voice sample and take a photograph, after which the data will be automatically uploaded to the state biometric system.
Registration will also be available through the "Gosuslugi Biometriya" app, where users will need to scan a biometric international passport, take a selfie, and make a voice recording.
To obtain a microloan, it will only be necessary to look into the camera and say the sequence of digits displayed on the screen. At the same time, biometric data will not be required for traditional microloans, and for small microfinance organizations the deadline for implementing the new rule has been postponed until March 1, 2027.
Read more materials on the topic:
- Why biometrics are needed in popular apps: an analysis
- Biometrics are being introduced into real estate transactions in Russia
- Prove it with your face: biometrics called an alternative to identifying Russians when buying 18+ category goods
