Russia-based Sberbank has announced that in February 2022 it will launch one its largest Pay Sticker technology mass testing, offered to users free of charge. Pay Stickers enable one-tap NFC payments without the need to install any apps.

This technology will, first and foremost, come in handy for iOS users who are used to contactless payments. Currently, with Sber, they can do it using a QR code, but the pay sticker technology will bring this payment method to more clients. According to officials from Sberbank, Pay Stickers are reliable and secure, as they are essentially smaller bank cards.

They also want to see the demand levels for this payment method among their clients. That’s why they invite 100,000 clients to test this innovation for free and share their feedback with Sber. Based on that, they will decide whether to roll out this solution on a mass scale or not, taking into account their testers’ suggestions on product improvements, as their top priority are clients’ convenience and comfort when using Sber’s services.

How do Pay Stickers work? Pay Stickers are stuck to the back of an iPhone and look like ordinary bank cards, only several times smaller. One simply breaks off the part designated for sticking, removes the protective film, and sticks the sticker on the lower back of the phone to avoid interference with the NFC antenna. Pay Stickers do not have card numbers or CVC codes.

One can pay with his sticker anywhere they have contactless payment terminals: in stores, cafes, beauty parlors, etc. One can also use them to withdraw cash at an ATM with contactless authorisation. Pay Stickers are versions of Mir Debit SberCards and have the same features: one gets SberSpasibo reward points for each purchase; the service is free of charge, if one’s monthly purchases amount to USD 71 or more.

A customer can set his own PIN code, set spending and transaction limits, or block his sticker in case of loss. .