Russians have started to pay more often for books, videos, and "serious" dating.

      Russians have started to buy digital content more frequently and use paid features of online services. This is evidenced by data from the analytics service YuMoney. One of the most noticeable areas has been audio and video products. The turnover of this segment grew by 37%, while the number of purchases increased by 31%. The average receipt rose by 4% and reached 300 rubles. Experts note that the growth in the number of purchases outpaces the increase in the average receipt. This may indicate that the paid model is gradually becoming familiar to an increasing number of users. People are more often subscribing and regularly paying for access to content, rather than just switching to more expensive tariffs. The book market continues to grow as well. Sales of printed and audiobooks increased by 25%, while the number of transactions rose by 27%. At the same time, the average receipt slightly decreased by 2%, to 210 rubles. Such dynamics may indicate an expanding audience. Books are increasingly becoming an accessible everyday purchase that users are willing to make spontaneously, rather than just planning in advance. Analysts also note a rise in interest in dating services. Their turnover increased by 64%, the number of purchases grew by 25%, and the average receipt rose by 31% to 505 rubles. Thus, users have started to pay more frequently for additional features and subscriptions. Among the possible reasons are the desire to obtain a higher quality communication experience and to filter out random acquaintances. In simpler terms, some users are willing to pay to make the search for a soulmate a bit more serious—and perhaps less like an endless browsing of profiles. Overall, data from the first half of 2026 shows that digital content has finally ceased to be a niche expense. Books, music, videos, and online services are increasingly becoming part of everyday purchases for Russians. Moreover, the market is growing not only due to price increases. More and more users are willing to pay regularly for convenient and legal access to content and additional features of services.