# VTB Bank Russia (VTB Online + VTB MAX)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/vtb-bank
> research date 2026-05-30 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [VTB Bank — official](https://www.vtb.ru/)

## Overview

**VTB Bank Russia (VTB Online + VTB MAX)** is **Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets** + **Russian government majority controlling** + **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms** + **2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte** + **2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers** + **VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt + AI-powered virtual cards** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Russian Federation report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/RU)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: VTB Bank 2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms + 2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte; **VTB has been expanding its digital banking capabilities + VTB's digital bank is now operational on the Russian MAX platform, where VTB clients in MAX can check their balance and transaction history, transfer money, pay invoices or QR-code purchases, connect banking products, select cashback categories, configure notifications, and perform other actions** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + MAX domestic messenger virtual bank integration; **2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking pre-sanctions scale; **VTB has successfully adapted to Russia's digital environment by developing alternative platforms following international restrictions on foreign messaging services** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking post-sanctions adaptation.

**Distinctive VTB Bank positioning**:
- **Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets** (VTB Bank Russia; MOEX: VTBR; Russian government majority controlling)
- **Russian government majority controlling** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking ownership
- **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + MAX + VK platforms virtual bank integration
- **2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russian domestic messenger virtual bank user base
- **2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking pre-sanctions scale
- **VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russia-Egypt cross-border QR payments
- **VTB has successfully adapted to Russia's digital environment by developing alternative platforms following international restrictions on foreign messaging services** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking post-sanctions adaptation
- **Oct 17 1990 VTB Bank founding as Vneshtorgbank (VTB) successor** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking heritage

## History

**Oct 17 1990 — VTB Bank founded as Vneshtorgbank (VTB) successor** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking heritage.

**May 28 2007 — VTB Bank LSE GDR + MICEX IPO under ticker VTBR (LSE GDR delisted post-2022 sanctions)** distinctive Russian state-controlled banking dual-listings (pre-sanctions).

**May 23 2016 — VTB + Bank of Moscow merger → VTB Group** distinctive Russian state-controlled banking consolidation.

**2010 — VTB Online mobile banking app launch** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking mobile banking strategy.

**Feb 2022 — VTB Bank OFAC sanctions post-Russian invasion of Ukraine + LSE GDR delisting + foreign messaging services restrictions on VTB**.

**2022 — VTB 50M+ monthly payments and transfers** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking pre-sanctions scale.

**2025 — VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **VTB Bank Russia** (MOEX: VTBR; Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets; Russian government majority controlling).

**Major shareholders**: **Russian Federation Federal Property Management Agency (Russian government majority controlling ~60.93%) + Russian institutional + retail + foreign investors (limited post-sanctions)**.

**Regulator**: **CBR (Central Bank of Russia) + OFAC sanctions exposure**.

## Technical integration

VTB Online mobile banking app (iOS + Android) + VTB MAX virtual bank (Russian MAX domestic messenger platform) + VTB VK virtual bank (Russian VKontakte VK Group platform) + vtb.ru online + VTB Bank branch network Russia + Austria + Azerbaijan + Georgia + Kazakhstan + Armenia + Belarus + Kyrgyzstan + Angola + India + VTB Visa + Mastercard (limited post-sanctions) + MIR cards; SPB System + Faster Payments RU + Card2Card RU; **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB clients in MAX can check their balance and transaction history, transfer money, pay invoices or QR-code purchases, connect banking products, select cashback categories, configure notifications, and perform other actions** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russian domestic messenger virtual bank integration + **VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russia-Egypt cross-border QR payments.

## Users & growth

**2025**: VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte; **2022 baseline**: 50M+ monthly payments and transfers.

## Use cases

Russian + Austrian + Azerbaijani + Georgian + Kazakhstani + Armenian + Belarus + Kyrgyzstani + Angolan + Indian retail + private + SME + commercial + corporate + Russian state-controlled banking + Russian MAX domestic messenger virtual bank + Russian VK Group virtual bank + cross-border QR Code payments Egypt banking via VTB Online mobile + VTB MAX virtual bank + VTB VK virtual bank + vtb.ru online + VTB Bank branch network Russia + 9 other countries + Visa/Mastercard (limited post-sanctions) + MIR cards; SPB System + Faster Payments RU + Card2Card RU; **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russian domestic messenger virtual bank integration + Russia-Egypt cross-border QR payments.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: VTB Bank Russia (MOEX: VTBR; Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets; Russian government majority controlling); Russian Federation Federal Property Management Agency (Russian government majority controlling ~60.93%) + Russian institutional + retail + foreign investors (limited post-sanctions).

**Russian MAX + VK partnership**: **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB has successfully adapted to Russia's digital environment by developing alternative platforms following international restrictions on foreign messaging services** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking post-sanctions adaptation.

**Russia-Egypt cross-border QR Code payments partnership**: **VTB customers have become available to pay for goods using a QR code in Egypt** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russia-Egypt cross-border QR payments.

**Major Russian banking + payments competitors**: [SberPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/sberpay) (Sberbank Russia SberPay; Russia's largest commercial bank by assets; MOEX: SBER; ~100M+ customers + ~85M+ Sberbank Online mobile banking users + Russia's largest banking app) + [Alfa-Bank (Russia)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/alfa-bank) (Alfa-Bank Russia; Russia's largest private commercial bank; MOEX: ALFAB) + [T-Bank (formerly Tinkoff Bank)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/t-bank) (T-Bank Russia formerly Tinkoff Bank; MOEX: T post-Sep 2024 LSE Tinkoff Group delisting; one of world's largest digital banks by number of customers + Russia's third largest bank by customer base + second largest provider of credit cards in Russia + Jan 1 2025 Rosbank merged into T-Bank as branch) + Gazprombank (Gazprombank Russia; Russia's #3 state-controlled commercial bank by assets) + Rosselkhozbank (Russian Agricultural Bank; Russia's state-controlled bank for agriculture) + URALSIB (URALSIB Bank Russia; Russian commercial bank) + Credit Bank of Moscow (Moscow Credit Bank; Russian commercial bank) + Sovcombank (Sovcombank Russia; MOEX: SVCB; Russia's commercial bank) + Promsvyazbank (Promsvyazbank Russia; Russia's state-controlled defense industry bank) + Pochta Bank (Pochta Bank; Russian postal commercial bank).

**Regulator**: CBR + OFAC sanctions exposure.

## Fun facts

- **Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets** (VTB Bank Russia; MOEX: VTBR; Russian government majority controlling).
- **Russian government majority controlling** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking ownership.
- **2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + MAX + VK platforms virtual bank integration.
- **2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russian domestic messenger virtual bank user base.
- **2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking pre-sanctions scale.
- **VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking + Russia-Egypt cross-border QR payments.
- **VTB has successfully adapted to Russia's digital environment by developing alternative platforms following international restrictions on foreign messaging services** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking post-sanctions adaptation.
- **Oct 17 1990 VTB Bank founding as Vneshtorgbank (VTB) successor** distinctive Russian state-controlled commercial banking heritage.

## Comparison

| Feature | VTB Bank | [SberPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/sberpay) (Sberbank Russia SberPay rival; Russia's largest commercial bank by assets; ~100M+ customers; ~85M+ Sberbank Online mobile banking users) | [T-Bank (formerly Tinkoff Bank)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/t-bank) (T-Bank Russia rival; one of world's largest digital banks; Russia's 3rd largest by customer base + 2nd largest provider of credit cards) | [Alfa-Bank (Russia)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/alfa-bank) (Alfa-Bank Russia rival; Russia's largest private commercial bank) | Gazprombank (Gazprombank Russia rival; Russia's #3 state-controlled commercial bank by assets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **VTB Bank Russia (MOEX: VTBR; Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets; Russian government majority controlling)** | Sberbank Russia (MOEX: SBER; Russia's largest commercial bank by assets) | T-Bank (MOEX: T post-Sep 2024 LSE Tinkoff Group delisting; one of world's largest digital banks by number of customers; formerly Tinkoff Bank) | Alfa-Bank Russia (MOEX: ALFAB; Russia's largest private commercial bank) | Gazprombank Russia (Russia's #3 state-controlled commercial bank by assets) |
| Type | **Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets + Russian government majority controlling + 2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + 2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt + post-sanctions adaptation** | Russia's largest commercial bank by assets + ~100M+ customers + ~85M+ Sberbank Online mobile banking users + Russia's largest banking app | One of world's largest digital banks by number of customers + Russia's third largest bank by customer base + second largest provider of credit cards in Russia + Jan 1 2025 Rosbank merged into T-Bank as branch + Jun 5 2024 Tinkoff Bank rebranded to T-Bank | Russia's largest private commercial bank | Russia's #3 state-controlled commercial bank by assets |
| Country | RU + AT + AZ + GE + KZ + AM + BY + KG + AO + IN | RU + AT + CZ + GE + KZ + UA + BY | RU + AM + BY + KZ + AZ + GE + CN | RU + KZ + UA + GB + NL | RU + DE + CH + BY + AM + KZ |
| Distinctive | **Oct 17 1990 VTB Bank founding as Vneshtorgbank (VTB) successor; May 28 2007 VTB Bank LSE GDR + MICEX IPO under ticker VTBR (LSE GDR delisted post-2022 sanctions); May 23 2016 VTB + Bank of Moscow merger → VTB Group; 2010 VTB Online mobile banking app launch; Feb 2022 VTB Bank OFAC sanctions post-Russian invasion of Ukraine + LSE GDR delisting; 2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** | 1841 Sberbank founding (Russia's oldest savings bank) | Dec 2006 Tinkoff Credit Systems founding by Oleg Tinkov; 2007 Tinkoff mobile banking app launch; Jun 5 2024 Tinkoff Bank rebranded to T-Bank; Jan 1 2025 Rosbank merged into T-Bank as branch | 1990 Alfa-Bank founding by Mikhail Fridman + Pyotr Aven + German Khan (Alfa Group) | 1990 Gazprombank founding by Gazprom Russian gas conglomerate |

## Status

**Active, Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets + Russian government majority controlling + 2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + 2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **VTB Bank Russia (MOEX: VTBR; Russia's #2 state-controlled commercial bank by assets; Russian government majority controlling)** since Oct 17 1990 VTB Bank founding as Vneshtorgbank (VTB) successor + May 28 2007 VTB Bank LSE GDR + MICEX IPO under ticker VTBR + May 23 2016 VTB + Bank of Moscow merger → VTB Group + 2010 VTB Online mobile banking app launch + Feb 2022 VTB Bank OFAC sanctions post-Russian invasion of Ukraine + LSE GDR delisting + 2025 VTB digital bank on MAX + VK platforms operational + 2M+ users in MAX + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + VTB cross-border QR Code payments Egypt.
- **VTB 2M+ users in MAX 2025 + 30,000 unique users on VKontakte + 2022 baseline 50M+ monthly payments and transfers**.
- **VTB has successfully adapted to Russia's digital environment by developing alternative platforms following international restrictions on foreign messaging services**.
- **CBR + OFAC sanctions exposure regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTB_Bank "VTB Bank — Wikipedia"
[2]: https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/111871/ "VTB launches digital bank in Russian domestic messenger MAX — Interfax"
[3]: https://tadviser.com/index.php/Product:VTB_online "VTB customers have become available to pay for goods using a QR code in Egypt — TAdviser"
[ru-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/RU

- [1] [VTB Bank — Wikipedia][1]
- [2] [VTB launches digital bank in Russian domestic messenger MAX — Interfax][2]
- [3] [VTB customers have become available to pay for goods using a QR code in Egypt — TAdviser][3]
- <sup>[Russian Federation report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/RU)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/RU-russia.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [vtb-bank.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/vtb-bank). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.