Mir cards may become operational in China

In China, Russians may eventually be able to pay for purchases using QR codes and Mir cards, VTB CEO Andrey Kostin said on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

"We believe the most promising direction involves the use of QR codes, as they represent China's primary payment method, cards are used less. The Mir card could also become operational, and we are actively working on this",

Andrey Kostin said.

He emphasized that reciprocal tourist flows between Russia and China are growing, noting that while Chinese tourists have their own payment systems, Russia must develop corresponding solutions.

China will introduce a visa-free regime for Russian citizens starting September 15, allowing tourists to stay for up to 30 days without a visa.