Moving against the current: in pursuit of Fiat

Against the backdrop of loud statements about the decline of cash and a decrease in their turnover, on a weekend I had to face our reality, which once again proved that while we are moving in the wrong direction.

In my wallet, there is rarely an amount exceeding a couple of hundred rubles, and all the purchases I have paid for many years with the card. Even that small stock is kept for me in case of a trip in public transport, since the non-cash payment method began to appear just a couple of months ago and not all companies of carriers operating in the market. Can still go on the way home to the breadbasket for a roll of freshly baked bread. That's probably all the places where they can be of use to me.

With the introduction of payment for travel by public transport, we have a hilarious story to say. In case of blocking the charge-off by the card issuer, for whatever reason, you automatically get into the black list from the carrier. To remove from it, you need to go to the edge of the city to the office, write a statement with an explanation and pay the ticket costs to the cashier.

On Friday, I needed to withdraw a relatively large amount of cash. On the way home, I went through a number of ATMs and a branch of Sberbank. Unfortunately, this Friday was a payday at most of the city's enterprises and huge queues lined up everywhere. Speaking ATMs slowed down processing even more, so I did not wait anywhere.

Saturday morning brought me disappointment in the form of devastated cash reserves and even more queue in the office. The central office was just as sad, and the evening did not change the picture. I even thought that maybe I missed something in the news and people rushed to take cash in a hurry, but I poured several news aggregators and saw nothing supernatural. The task of standing in line was complicated by the unwillingness of the older daughter to do this. Therefore, it was decided to go on Sunday.

Having made my way finally to the desired goal, I was disappointed - there were only banknotes of 500 and 100 rubles, which was extremely uncomfortable for me, but giving in to the mood of the crowd, I withdrew some of the amount I needed. I managed to get the rest only yesterday, and then immediately went to the central branch of the Savings Bank, where I had to take a coupon to the cashier, since the queue to the ATM was about 20 people. Fortunately, the cashier turned out to be a benevolent young man and even took a part of the lack of money from a colleague in the next box office (I was surprised, before only Sberbank worked at the box office of the Savings Bank, but yesterday there were only guys). Victory! Finally I became the owner of a pack of new crisp banknotes.

Against the backdrop of initiatives from foreign countries, we are happy with the statistics from the CBR:

The amount of cash withdrawn by citizens from plastic cards for the first nine months of 2017, compared to the same period last year, decreased by 1.78%, to 18.7 trillion rubles, according to the Central Bank. At the same time, the number of cash withdrawal operations by Russians in ATMs decreased during the same period by 3.9%, to 2.4 billion units. The trend was observed for the first time in the third quarter, but then the volume of cash withdrawal operations grew by 4.2%, although the number of transactions decreased by 3%. As a result, according to the results of September (the latest data of the Central Bank in this segment), the Central Bank noted for the first time that the reduction in the amount of withdrawals from CB cards was recorded for the first time in ten years of observations.

For the first time in ten years, there was a decrease in the amount of cash withdrawal. Why in our country so do not trust non-cash settlements, and the card gets once a month, to remove the available balance? Yes, I agree with the stagnation in the economy, the decline in interest on deposits, but really still keep money at home and are afraid of becoming hostages of the banking system. I understand, let's say you became rich not quite honestly and are at risk of blocking accounts, but the usual average citizen with it, according to Rosstat, an average salary of 39,331 rubles.

Today, banks have a bet on a new generation that is actively using mobile applications:

For the first half of 2017 the volume of Internet payments by individuals grew by 8% and amounted to 1 trillion rubles, while 78% are municipal and tax payments. Transfers from the card to the card, through mobile applications, for the first three quarters of 2017, according to the Central Bank, almost doubled, to 1.8 billion, to the amount of 12.6 trillion rubles.

It is quite obvious that the main role in the indicators is played by the inhabitants of megacities, for which non-cash payment methods are more convenient. The problem with pensioners has already been decided at the legislative level, but they decided to move step by step, stretching the time interval. I want to believe that this was done not to wait for the natural rejuvenation of this group of people. In passing, they will also capture all state employees:

Workers of the budgetary sphere should be transferred to the map "Mir" by July 1, 2018. Pensioners will be able to get cards "Mir" instead of cards that are not national payment instruments, which they now use, after the expiration of their validity, but not later than July 1, 2020.

The choice in favor of the national system was quite obvious, but how convenient it would be to use it for non-standard operations is still in question:

The cards of the national payment system "Mir" use technologies developed in Russia, independent of other payment systems and fully compliant with the world security standards for payment cards.

The first reviews were rather contradictory, and the clients had some difficulties, but without confidence in the reliable operation of the main functionality, it was unlikely that a full-scale implementation would begin. True, it is quite plausible that a large part of pensioners will monthly withdraw cash and keep them at home. However, this will help to optimize the work of the services responsible for issuing pensions. On the one hand, reducing the criminal risks for employees, but on the other hand, at times increasing the incidence of fraud with the cards of pensioners.

The growth of crimes in this sphere, increases year by year. The reaction in the media on this issue is rather turbulent and adds nervousness to the population. On the one hand, it is necessary, as often as possible, to be reminded of risks, but it is easier for other people to withdraw money, rather than learn basic safety principles and rules for using cards.

Over the year, from July 2015 to June 2016, in Russia, the number of unauthorized withdrawals of funds from bank cardholders' accounts via Internet banking increased 5.5-fold.

Without raising the financial literacy of the population and increasing confidence in the banking system, we will continue to stall for a long time in one place. Creating problems for yourself and others, spending precious hours of life in queues and putting money in a cabinet where they will depreciate with each new day. I want to believe that the modern generation can get rid of this type of behavior, but while I see people in queues to ATMs, including, is much younger than me.