In the first four months of 2026, banks issued 4.8 million new credit cards.

      In the first four months of 2026, Russian banks issued 4.8 million new credit cards. The active customer base reached about 30 million people. Recently, new credit cards were being issued every two seconds. Experts believe that the credit card market in the country is close to saturation. In their opinion, it is becoming increasingly expensive for banks to attract quality borrowers, so they are shifting their focus to retaining existing customers. This leads to improved lending conditions. However, it cannot be said that there is a mass reduction in rates — they still exceed 50%. Analysts note that the potential for growth remains only in the premium and corporate segments, as well as in regions where credit cards are not as popular. The further development of the market will depend on the key interest rate. According to experts, if it falls below 10%, it could provide a new impetus, writes "Izvestia," citing the "Unified Credit Bureau."