In Russia, from March 1, 2026, it will be mandatory to confirm identity using biometrics to obtain microloans. This measure will prevent loans from being taken out without the borrower's knowledge, said Vladislav Svyatik, Deputy General Director of the Center for Biometric Technologies (CBT).
The new rule will become part of the government's program to combat cyber fraud.
The purpose of the innovation is to make it impossible to take out a microloan without a person's knowledge.
According to him, statistics from the Central Bank show that the number of complaints against microfinance organizations increased by 10% in the first nine months of last year.
To register biometric data for a microloan, you can contact a branch of an authorized bank or use a free service offering on-site registration. Specialists will help record your voice and take a photo, after which the data will be automatically uploaded to the state biometric system.
Registration can also be carried out through the "Gosuslugi Biometria" application, where you need to scan your biometric passport, take a selfie and make a voice recording.
To obtain a microloan, you will only need to look at the camera and say a sequence of numbers displayed on the screen. At the same time, biometric data will not be required for traditional microloans, and the implementation of the new rule for small microfinance organizations has been postponed until March 1, 2027.
Read more on the topic:
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- Biometrics are being introduced into real estate transactions in Russia
- Prove it with your face: biometrics called an alternative to identifying Russians when buying goods in the 18+ category
