Over 80,000 Tomichei have imposed self-restrictions on credit accounts since March.
Casual Take:Hey there! Betcha didn't know this, but over 10 million Russians have taken a stance against debt since March, with more than 80,000 hailing from Tomsk region, according to RIA Tomsk. You read that right! They've set self-bans on credit and loan agreements – yep, even for those in microfinance organizations.
Since March 1st, this self-ban called "self-credit lock" has been in effect across Russia. Folks in Tomsk, like the rest of the country, can now freely use government services to set a self-lock on credit agreements, preventing any new loans[3].
As of May 5th, 2025, Tomsk residents have set 81,336 self-locks on credits, ranking 44th in the regions with the most activity. Additionally, there have been 2,811 requests to lift previously set locks.
According to data from the United Credit Bureau, of the 10.3 million Russians who have used the self-credit lock service since its inception, over a quarter are between 35 and 45 years old. Additionally, 21% are between 45 and 55, 20% are 55-65, 16% are older than 65, 13% are aged 25-35, and 8% are the youth under 25[5].
Here's a fun fact: Moscow leads the pack with over a million residents setting self-locks. So if you're living in the Russian capital, there's a higher chance of encountering folks who've taken control of their finances this way[4].
[3] Enrichment Data – The Bank of Russia launched a free self-credit lock service allowing individuals to set a self-ban on credit agreements in their credit histories at any time.
[4] Enrichment Data – Moscow leads the nation in the number of self-credit lock requests.
[5] Enrichment Data – Age demographics of individuals who have set self-credit locks show a majority are aged 35-65.
- In an effort to combat personal debt, many Russians of various ages - including those in the Tomsk region - have turned to a self-credit lock service offered by the Bank of Russia, banning themselves from new credit or loan agreements in their personal finance.
- Despite being initially popular among the older age groups, the self-credit lock service has gained traction with younger generations as well, with 13% of users being aged 25-35, part of the younger demographic managing their personal finances through this method.
