The requirements of Federal Law 161-FZ have led to a wave of bank card blockages for Russians.

Since January 2026, the Russian banking system has faced a sharp increase in account blockings. In less than three weeks of the month, over 3 million citizens’ payment cards were restricted. The reason is the large-scale changes that came into effect on January 1st in the criteria for identifying suspicious transactions according to Federal Law 161-FZ, which doubled the control parameters.

New Standards for Detecting Suspicious Activities

The expanded requirements of Federal Law 161-FZ aim to enhance financial security but have practically led to excessive caution among banks. Experts from the Central Bank of Russia state that they are continuously monitoring the effectiveness of the implemented regulations: they indicate readiness to adjust the legal frameworks if necessary. In particular, mechanisms for restoring the status of cryptocurrency sellers who have been included in databases of fraudulent operations have been revised.

How Actual Locking Practices Are Changing

The problem is that under the new criteria of Federal Law 161-FZ, completely ordinary transactions are falling under the scope. Banks are blocking user accounts for purchases on marketplaces, transfers to friends, and other standard operations. According to regulatory recommendations, financial institutions should inform clients about the reasons for restrictions, but in reality, most only receive a notification of the block without any explanations.

How Citizens Are Adapting to the New Rules

Growing dissatisfaction has led to an interesting phenomenon in online communities. Many people have stopped trying to get their accounts unblocked and are consciously switching to cash payments or alternative payment methods. Thus, instead of relying on banks’ decisions, they minimize card usage. This trend indicates a growing gap between regulators’ intentions to protect the financial system and citizens’ actual perception, who feel an excessive strictness in the application of the new norms of 161-FZ.