Apple Removes Yandex’s Payment Service App

Aug. 12, 2026 pay.yandex.ru Major Russian digital wallet and payment service Yandex Pay said Wednesday that its application had been removed from Apple’s App Store. The removal means iPhone users in Russia can no longer download or update Yandex Pay. The app allows users to store cards, make contactless payments and split purchases across Yandex’s suite of services. In a statement, Yandex Pay assured customers that their money remained secure and that the app would continue to function for users who already had it installed. “Most importantly, don’t delete the app,” Yandex Pay said, urging users to turn off automatic updates and use its web-based version within mobile browsers instead. “We’re sad this happened too… We’ll figure something out with the app,” Yandex Pay said. Apple has not publicly commented on the removal, though it has delisted apps linked to sanctioned Russian entities in recent months. While Yandex Pay has not itself been targeted directly by Western sanctions, Yandex Bank was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in June. Yandex Pay is still available for Android users on Google Play. Read more about: Sanctions , Yandex Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more EU Lifts Sanctions on Yandex Co-Founder Volozh The billionaire had petitioned for sanctions relief after he became one of the few members of the Russian elite to criticize the war. 2 Min read Yandex Co-Founder Volozh to Be Relieved of EU Sanctions – Reuters In August 2023, his lawyers petitioned the EU for sanctions relief after he became one of the few members of the Russian elite to criticize the war. 2 Min read Amsterdam Court Rejects Sanctioned Yandex Founder’s Appeal Against Mansion Squatters Arkady Volozh has been fighting to evict a group of squatters from his 3.4-million-euro mansion in central Amsterdam for months. 1 Min read Yandex Founder, CEO Resigns After Being Hit By EU Sanctions The EU sanctioned Arkady Volozh over Yandex's removal of “content related to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.”