VTB called the alliance with Wildberries a "restart of retail" and a path to "commerce of happiness."

      June 5, 2026 15:57 Economy The First Deputy President-Chairman of the Management Board of VTB, Dmitry Pyanov, presented the partnership with Wildberries at the SPIEF-2026 as a strategic leap for the bank into a new consumer reality. In his worldview, marketplaces have already become "merchants of happiness," while banks historically remain "merchants of money." According to the top manager, the alliance allows overcoming this gap and gives VTB what could not be achieved by simply copying ecosystems: access to technological speed, flexibility, and tens of millions of active clients. Pyanov explained why VTB chose Wildberries over other projects, such as "Green Price." Multiple calculations showed that, at the current level of partner tariffs and known transaction volumes of the bank's client base, entering the capital of another player simply did not pay off. The alliance with Wildberries is referred to in the bank as a "new restart of retail," despite the acknowledged complexity of integrating two different corporate cultures. VTB consciously concedes leadership to its partner at the initial stage, hoping that non-interference from regulators will allow maintaining an "economy of trust" and turning the alliance into a success story. As a result, the bank hopes to become "neoclassical"—having learned to transform money into consumer value together with a strong technological partner. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When republishing, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+