Sberbank and T-Bank have disabled in-app chats between users and comments on money transfers, the independent Russian news outlet Verstka reported.
Sberbank users attempting to send a message now see a notification reading: “Messaging is no longer supported. Comments on transfers are available in the transaction history.” The bank confirmed it began removing the chat function on April 27 and that all customers would lose access by May 5.
T-Bank said its updated interface had renamed the “Chat” section “Support” and removed conversations between customers.
Sberbank introduced the chat function in 2018, letting users create group chats — to pool money for a gift, send greeting cards, or simply stay in touch. The bank’s support service offered no explanation for the decision to discontinue it.
Against the backdrop of the slowdown and near-total blocking of Telegram in Russia, users began looking for alternative ways to communicate with friends and family — for example, in chats on the Russian classifieds platform Avito. Russians also turned to online games and the Sberbank app to stay in touch. One Russian woman living in Bali said she called her parents through an automatic cat feeder with a built-in camera.
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