Google Play Halts Payments to Russian App Developers Amid Ongoing Restrictions

Google Play suspends payment services for Russian app developers, citing global sanctions and operational challenges, impacting the tech ecosystem in Russia.

Google’s official app store, Google Play, has indefinitely halted payments to developers who have Russian bank accounts.

Since the Ukraine conflict intensified in February 2022, the US-based tech company had already restricted monetization options and some other services for Russian and Belarusian individuals and entities.

Minsk is a crucial ally of Moscow and has backed Russia in the Ukraine conflict, though it hasn’t been directly involved in hostilities.

On Thursday, Russia’s Habr media outlet shared a screenshot of a notification reportedly sent to a developer by Google. The message stated that “as of December 26, 2024, Google Play will cease processing payments indefinitely for developers with receiving bank accounts in Russia.”

As a result, you will no longer receive income from worldwide sales. The final payments for all transactions in Google Play will be made to you on January 15, 2025,” the message stated.

and Belarus, citing “payment system disruption.” Free apps, however, continue to be available there.

A few months earlier, YouTube, owned by Google, announced that it had “paused all ads on its platform in Russia.”

Around the same period, the video-hosting platform deleted channels associated with several Russian state-funded media outlets.

In August this year, Google AdSense—a program that assists website owners in customizing advertisements to their content and earning revenue per click—announced its decision to cease operations in Russia. According to local media reports, an email notification from Google informed Russian publishers: “we will deactivate all AdSense accounts located in Russia.”

Russian authorities have accused the tech giant of bias against Russian state media and users, as well as not removing content they consider illegal.

In October, Russian media announced that Google faced an astonishing $20 decillion debt to 17 Russian broadcasters who had filed lawsuits against the company over allegations of illegal content blocking. Shortly thereafter, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov validated this report, remarking that the massive amount was “filled with symbolism.”

In October 2022, the Moscow Arbitration Court mandated that Google reinstate YouTube access for Russian media outlets previously blocked. To enforce this decision, a daily fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,028) was set for non-compliance, with the penalty amount doubling weekly without any limit on its total accumulation.

In May of that year, Google declared bankruptcy in Russia and relocated its employees from the country following the seizure of its bank account by authorities.