Russia would cap card inflows for potential money mules at ₽30,000 a month from March 2028

Russia has introduced a bill that would limit incoming card payments — transfers and top-ups — to ₽30,000 per month for people classified as potential drop accounts. For PSPs, acquirers, and anyone monitoring payout rails, the interesting part is not the number itself but the direction: tighter controls on cards as a channel for mule activity.

1. The draft document has already been submitted to the State Duma. The measure would set a monthly cap of ₽30,000 on incoming funds to a card, covering both transfers and top-ups.
2. The restriction is tied to “potential drops” in Russia. In payments language, that means accounts flagged as possible money mule endpoints, which is exactly the kind of profile fraud and compliance teams try to catch before settlement turns into a cleanup exercise.
3. The start date in the text is March 2028. That gives market participants a long runway, but it also signals that the rule is being framed as a structural change, not a short-term enforcement tweak.