Banki.ru

History

2024: Fraudsters began to issue loans for Russians through "Банки.ру"

On January 24, 2024, it became known about a credit fraud scheme through the Банки.ру financial marketplace. To do this, the criminals convince the victims to dictate the code to them from SMS.

A source in the cybersecurity industry told TASS about the new scam. Scammers find phone numbers and other personal data of potential victims among leaked data. Then the attackers call the person and report the letter to the MPSC received in his name. The fraudster offers to send a letter to the victim's address, and then warns that now the sending number will come via SMS, which needs to be voiced. In fact, the victim receives a code to confirm registration on the Банки.ру website.

After registering on the financial market on behalf of the victim, the attacker continues to communicate with banks and microfinance organizations on behalf of the injured person. The final stage of fraud is the registration of loans and microloans, which fraudsters later transfer to their accounts.

The service "Банки.ру" noted that "they pay special attention to the information security of users and constantly improves technologies, and also always informs its users that the code from SMS cannot be reported to anyone." The company noted that employees never ask to confirm transfers, payments and the receipt of money on the card, they do not ask for card numbers, bank details or code words and do not call through instant messengers such as WhatsApp (owned by Meta, which is recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia), Telegram or Viber. If you doubt that it is the Банков.ру employee who is calling, you can request an extension. You can check it on the site in the Support tab^[1]

2023: Russia Partners seeks buyer for 40% of portal shares

The key owner of Банки.ру decided to sell a stake in the financial marketplace. In March 2023, it became known that the investment fund Russia Partners is looking for a buyer for a 40% stake in the portal, RBC learned.

Among the applicants for the purchase of 40% of the Банки.ру portal sold by Russia Partners are the Moscow Exchange, Yandex and billionaire Vladimir Potanin, Kommersant learned. The price of the entire site can vary between 13-16 billion rubles.

2022: Revenue growth by 32% to RUB 5.37 bln due to leadership generation

The company Банки.ру disclosed the indicators for 2022, showing a record profit before taxes and other expenses (EBITDA) - over 1 billion rubles. The company's total revenue grew by 32% and amounted to 5.37 billion rubles, of which 90% was brought by leadership generation - the commission paid by banks to attract customers to open credit and debit cards, consumer loans and mortgages, insurance and other financial products. Consolidated net profit exceeded 600 million rubles.

The number of full-time staff in Банки.ру at the end of 2022 amounted to more than 350 people.

2021: Shifting Employees to Hybrid Mode of Operation

Банки.ру from April 20, 2021, he transferred his employees to a permanent hybrid mode of operation. The new format assumes that employees are present in the Moscow office at their workplaces only two days a week to discuss projects, hold personal meetings and exchange ideas, and work remotely the rest of the time.

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the company went "remote" from the spring of 2020 one of the first. A plan was promptly created, which made it possible to transfer 90% of employees to remote work in two days. Each employee was brought home with the help of a courier service the equipment necessary for work. Some processes had to be created anew - they established electronic document management, appointed a duty schedule, conducted a series of trainings on time management and emotional burnout, launched an online format of corporate events, and at the end of 2020 even organized their own financial quiz for partners.

When deciding on a permanent hybrid work schedule, the Банки.ру took into account the results of employee surveys throughout the year. The company's employees rate the comfort of the remote format at 9.36 out of 10 points. At the same time, according to 19% of employees, the efficiency of work has become significantly higher than in the pre-quarantine period; 74% noted that it remained at the same level. At the "remote" employees lack personal communication, face-to-face meetings, a printer and a comfortable office chair.

"Our HR team, studying foreign experience, Western sociology, and the experience of large Russian companies since the transition of employees to" remote, "came to the conclusion that the hybrid model meets all the requirements of the business. The question was opened whether to give each employee a choice when they can be in the workplace, or to record certain days. As a result, two days when we are all in the office at a time became a kind of socialization, the opportunity to discuss with colleagues on the same site all the issues that have accumulated during our work from home, to talk, and finally drink coffee together, "commented Банки.ру HR Director Yevgeny Sugrobov.

In addition, the hybrid format allowed Банки.ру to expand the geography of finding new employees and save on additional space for the office. For example, over the pandemic year, the company has grown in headcount by 20%, its employees work not only in Moscow, but also in Krasnodar, Tver, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg.

2020

Brothers Ilyina-Adaev and Elena Ishcheeva sold their shares to a consortium of investors led by Elbrus Capital and Winter Capital funds

In November 2020, the founders of Банки.ру, Philip and Kirill Ilyina-Adaevs, sold their shares in the Internet holding to a consortium of investors led by Elbrus Capital and Winter Capital funds.

"A consortium of investors led by Elbrus Capital funds and Winter Capital has completed the acquisition of shares in Банки.ру, Russia's largest financial marketplace. The seller was the founders of the company - Philip and Kirill Ilyina-Adaevs, as well as Elena Ishcheeva, who left the business after the transaction was closed. The second shareholder, the Russia Partners fund, retained its stake, "the statement said.

As part of the deal, all disagreements between the founders of Банки.ру and Russia Partners were resolved, the press release says.

"We are pleased with the terms of the transaction, as well as the fact that we sold our stake to this particular consortium of investors; we care about whose hands the company will be, to which we gave 16 years of life, - the press service quotes the words of the founder of the Банки.ру, Philip Ilyin-Adaev. - We see that new investors share our values - providing visitors with the most complete and objective information. We are sure that Банки.ру will be a good investment for them. "

Senior partner of Elbrus Capital funds Dmitry Kryukov noted that the fund highly appreciates the potential of the Банки.ру, which has a recognizable brand and strong relationships with a large number of partners - financial institutions.

Банки.ру refuse to fund Finparty

In October 2020, a corporate war continues between the owners of the site Банки.ру Russia Partners and Philip Ilyin Adaev. Russia Partners, with the help of friendly director Yunusova, refused to finance the Finparty.ru project, which was managed by Adaev's wife.

2019

Founders' conflict with Russia Partners

In December 2019, the founder of the Banki.ru, Philip Ilyin-Adaev, said on his Facebook page that the project investor - Russia Partners (owns 40% of the publication) - requires the editorial office to vacate the premises on Odessa, 2a from February 13.

Also, according to his post, Banki.ru CEO Dinara Yunusova announced the termination of the company's contract with Banking News LLC, which has owned media licenses since 2016 Banki.ru and supplies the site with information.

As Filip Ilyin-Adaev clarified to Kommersant, he and his wife, minority shareholder Banki.ru Elena Ishcheeva (together own 60% of the project), intend to challenge both of these regulations.

"Banking News LLC is registered for me, all journalists of Banki.ru and Finparty are also registered for this legal entity. Termination of the contract with Bank News means the termination of financing and the fact that we will not be able to pay salaries to people, "explained Philip Ilyin-Adaev.

According to him, now about 30 people work in the projects of Banki.ru and Finparty.

The Moscow office of Russia Partners told Kommersant that the company "does not comment" on this issue. Managing Director and Head of the TMT Investment Sector (Technologies, Media and Telecommunications) of Russia Partners Roman Simonov declined to comment to Kommersant.

In 2016, licenses for Banki.ru media were transferred to Banking News due to the need to comply with the law, according to which foreign companies cannot own more than 20% in Russian media. The rights to the Banki.ru brand, in turn, belong to the head holding "Банки.ру Holding LTD," respectively, 60% of the brand is owned by the founders of the project, 40% by the investor, said Philip Ilyin-Adaev. According to the Kartoteka.ru, LTD Банки.ру Holding was registered in Cyprus in 2008.

In accordance with the norms of the Civil Code and the Law "On Joint-Stock Companies," the positions of the largest of them do not always correspond to the decisions made by shareholders, says Pavel Ikkert, partner at Nafko. "Given that the termination of the contract with Bank News can be considered a significant event for the organization, most likely it could not be adopted without the decision of the majority of shareholders," he says. The law allows shareholders to challenge decisions already made, including in court, he says. "Given the shares of Mrs. Ishcheeva and Ilyin-Adaev, there are chances for this, but if the decision is supported by another largest shareholder in the person of Russia Partners, then the internal conflict will most likely not end there," the expert predicts.

Dismissal of Commercial Director Granovskaya

Commercial director S.P. Granovskaya was eventually fired.

8.5 million people per month, 72% leadership revenue

Банки.ру CEO Dinara Yunusova announced in June 2019:

We have about 15.5 million visits per month, 8.5 million unique clients. This figure is growing from year to year by about 10-15%. Someone comes to learn something new, someone compares financial products and draws up an application (it is convenient, you do not need to look at the websites of all banks). Secondly, our partners, banks, insurance and brokerage companies are everyone who is interested in our audience. And the "Банки.ру" connects them. We earn on receiving payment from partners for the targeted visitor action (CPA model). For example, it can be a click or a completed questionnaire. The share in monetization of this channel is 72%, the media advertising accounts for the remaining 28%. The average conversion in the market from application to the issued loan is 3-5%, some generally less than 1%.[2].

2016: Revenue of RUB 624 mln

In 2016, the company's revenue amounted to 624 million rubles^[3] much do ^[3].

2015: Revenue of RUB 579 mln

In 2015, the company's revenue amounted to 579 million rubles^[3] much do ^[3].

Attendance according to its own data is about 7 million users per month.

2014: Revenue of RUB 570 mln, profitability of 35%

In

2014, Банков.ру 's revenues will grow by 40%, predicted Philip Ilyin-Adaev, chairman of the board of directors of Банков.ру, explaining that the project earns not only from advertising. The two main sources of revenue of the company - media advertising and leadership generation (applications from site users for banking products) - bring approximately equally, 40% of revenue. If the user makes an application for a loan, the bank transfers a "Банкам.ру" certain fee, and the company also receives a percentage of the deposit amount that is open through its website. The rest "Банки.ру" earn on paid accounts for banks and communication services that allow banks to communicate through the site with customers. According to a similar model, many small sites work, says Ilyin-Adaev, while he calls the project "Сравни.ру"^[4] the main competitor].

As a result, in 2014, the consolidated revenue of the Банки.ру group of companies amounted to about 570 million rubles, write^[5] of Vedomosti, citing data provided by the group.

The profitability of the group for the year, according to the publication, increased from 24% to 35%. Whether the group provides the audited revenue data, Vedomosti does not specify.

Банки.ру 's ruble revenue grew over the year by about 35% (in 2013, revenue amounted to 422 million rubles), and dollar revenue in 2014 fell by 31% compared to last year and amounted to $9.1 million against $13.2 million a year earlier, with a cost dollar of 62 at ruble the time of writing material.

The main income was brought by the "Special Offers" section, where banks place deposit offers. "Банки.ру" motivate their users to place deposits in the submitted banks and earn on the commission that banks pay for deposits placed by users. In 2014, users created such deposits in the amount of 14.5 billion.

In February 2014, its audience amounted to 4.7 million unique visitors. A year earlier, there were 68% less of them - 2.8 million.

The Банки.ру audience for 10 months 2014 more than doubled: from 5 million unique visitors per month in March to 11 million in December, the group's website reported.

2013

Revenue $13.2 million, EBITDA $3.1 million

The consolidated unaudited revenue of the group in 2013 amounted to $13.2 million against $8.5 million a year earlier, EBITDA - $3.1 million ($1.4 million in 2012). For the second year in a row, revenue grew at 55%. The media advertising market in 2013, according to the Association of Communication Agencies of Russia, grew by 12%.

In April 2013, the audience of the Russian portal amounted to 3.3 million unique visitors, which is almost double last year's figure (1.7 million visitors).

Finam sold its stake in Banki.ru to Russia Partners Technologies

Finam Global Investment Fund (part of Finam Investment Holding) has completed the sale of its stake in the holding company Banki.ru. The buyer of the asset was the investment fund Russia Partners Technologies, which is managed by the international investment company Russia Partners.

Finam Global Investment Fund entered the Banki.ru project in 2010. A minority stake in the company's capital was acquired by him at round "A" - a stage in which investments are directed to scaling the business and increasing brand awareness. Thanks to the timely attraction of capital and the successful implementation of the business strategy with the involvement of Finam's competencies over the past three years, the Banki.ru portal was able not only to expand its product line for advertisers, but also to enter promising foreign markets: the group's structure included portals for To Ukraine and in, Belarus representatives of Finam Global told CNews.

In early August 2013, the Finam Global investment fund withdrew from Banki.ru capital, selling its stake in the project to the Russia Partners Technologies investment fund. It is expected that the acquisition of a stake in Banki.ru by a specialized fund focused on investments in high-tech and innovative projects in Russia and the CIS will ensure the further successful development of the holding Banki.ru.

2012

Revenue $8.5 million (+ 54 %)

The group's consolidated revenue reached 8.5 million, dollars 54.5% higher than in 2011 (5.5 million). The indicator, EBITDA according to management reporting, amounted to $1.4 million (0.06 million a year earlier).

Buying Belarusian Infobank.by

In February 2012, Philip Ilyin-Adaev acquired the Belarusian portal Infobank.by (attendance of 230 thousand people a month)^[6]

In February 2012, 120 credit institutions were opened on the portal as a "personal account" where you can communicate with clients. Approximately 200 advertise. About 100 thousand people visit the site every day.

At this time, the company also owns Banki.ru projects Banki.ua.

Joint credit products with banks

In 2012, Ilyin-Adaev plans to launch joint credit products with banks, as well as turn Банки.ру into an online banking store. Directly on the site you can fill out an application for a loan or credit card. In the West, this is a common practice, but Philip Ilyin-Adaev was afraid of a conflict of interest: the site cannot be both an arbiter for banks and a seller of their services. However, now I decided to reconsider my opinion: "It's convenient - on one site to choose a service and immediately order it. We wasted our time.' He wants to combine such a service with the "People's Rating of Banks" so that offers can be filtered depending on the position of banks in the rating.

"Our initial strategy is to bring customers to our own site, and not to use the services of intermediaries," Alexey Marey doubts. But not all bankers think so. "We are now leading in the number of applications for credit cards on the Internet, because we work on all schemes for attracting customers," says Oleg Anisimov, vice president of Tinkoff Credit Systems. "If Банки.ру bring customers, we are ready to share."

On average, according to the Federation Council, banks are ready to pay 1-2 thousand rubles for the issued credit card. "This is the most honest monetization - we will bring a ready-made client to the partner," says Philip. However, in this niche "Банки.ру" are not the first. In 2011, the Creditcardsonline website appeared. In the summer, the same Finam bought a block package in a startup, and in November Philip smelled Maria Weichman, Creditcardsonline's marketing director, at Банки.ру. Applications for credit cards are also issued by "Сравни.ру." It now offers the services of 15 banks. "This market will grow rapidly," Ilya Polozhintsev is convinced.

Competition "Банки.ру" will not even be banking sites, but social networks. According to a study by the consulting agency Artenom-CFE, the total number of subscribers on the official pages of Russian banks in social networks in 2011 increased 50 times, to 500 thousand people. "It is not a fact that social networks will kill" Банки.ру. " The site is still very original and popular. But already now from social networks there are about the same number of customer requests as from this site, "says Oleg Anisimov. Tinkoff Credit Systems even issued a cobranding credit card with Odnoklassniki. As bonuses, the local currency of the social network is charged to it.

"The banking system flows into the Internet. There will be enough space for everyone, "Ilyin-Adaev believes. True, it is not accepted to plan in his company for more than six months: during this time, Runet may change dramatically.

Monetization models

• More than 120 banks opened offices for dialogue with clients on the Банки.ру (it cost them 1.2 million rubles a year)
• When attendance reached 1 million people/month, they switched to CPA (filing applications with the bank through банки.ру). Sell for 200 rubles per lead (2019)
• Even later, they launched a co-branding contribution. The bank raised 3 billion rubles, and Банки.ру received a 1% commission (30 million rubles)
• Catalog of banks (information about only the 100 largest banks is posted there for free)

2011: Social services and losses

According to the calculations of the publication "Secret of the Company," in 2011 the company's turnover amounted to about $4-5 million. Ilyin-Adaev does not disclose his revenue, noting only that on average it grows by 70-80% per year.

Having been able to develop new services, Ilyin-Adaev made a series of mistakes.

"Банки.ру" opened the section "Friends of Banks" - a community of users who give banks advice and discuss corporate news. On the page "Sberbank: Bank of Friends" on Facebook, 28 thousand people are registered, on "Банки.ру" - 2 thousand. The audience of Ilyin-Adaev's website prefers to criticize, rather than "be friends."

The Vikibank service, an analogue of Wikipedia dedicated to Russian banks, did not interest people either. Also, "Банки.ру" failed to become a full-fledged blog platform. Previously, blogs on the site were conducted by invited experts, for example, the chairman of the board of Trust Bank Nadia Cherkasova, ex-president of OTP Bank Alexei Korovin. When Philip opened up such an opportunity for everyone, only about ten "folk" writers came. In addition, democracy has displeased former experts.

Банки.ру 's audience grew by 50% in 2011, about the same as the year before. The site ended 2011 with a slight operating loss, which was covered from the funds of Finam Investment Company. "We are ending these games of socialization," says Philip Ilyin-Adaev.

In 2011, the company bought the Internet resource Banki.ua in Ukraine

Philip Ilyin-Adaev's mail is listed on the website. He often texts visitors. In the summer of 2011, one of them suggested an idea for business development. Many banks issue cobranding credit cards. For example, Sberbank has a joint program with Aeroflot, Citibank - with Megafon. However, no one has yet offered a cobranding deposit. In the fall, Philip managed to agree with Home Credit and Finance Bank (HKF-Bank) - the partners launched the "Choice" Банки.ру "deposit." "We may have made a cobrand deposit with an information portal for the first time in the world," said Ivan Svitek, chairman of the board of HCF Bank, at the time. "Банки.ру" advertised the deposit and played prizes among depositors. The site received a commission from each contribution. Cooperation in HKF-Bank is considered successful: by the end of 2011, the bank attracted more than 3 billion rubles for this deposit.

2010: Finam buys block package

Usually, representatives of IC Finam"" select potential investment objects in advance, meet with their owners and only then discuss the project at the investment committee. With "Банки.ру" in mid-2010, it turned out the other way around.

"At the committee, we discussed trends in Runet, and someone suddenly remembered" Банки.ру. "

This is a clear leader in traffic among sites covering banks. He has an understandable monetization system and prospects for income growth, "says Dmitry Smirnov. Banners bring "Банки.ру" only about 40% of revenue. The rest of the site earns on "hot lines," a catalog of banks (free of charge there is information about only the 100 largest credit institutions in Moscow and regional banks), sponsorship of sections, etc.

Philip Ilyin-Adaev purposefully did not look for an investor. When Dmitry Smirnov, head of strategy and business development at Finam Investment Company, met with Philip Ilyin-Adaev, they quickly found a common language. For several million dollars, she bought a block package "Банки.ру." Finam's investments went to the development of the site. The staff of the portal has more than doubled, to 100 people, of which over 20 are programmers.

2008-2009: Crisis: Balancing on the Brink

The site's revenue grew by 70% even in the crisis year of 2008.

"It was

important for banks to show that they were doing well," Philip recalls. But at the same time, "Банки.ру" was constantly balancing on the verge: for several years there was money in the accounts for exactly one salary for employees and a monthly office lease, because the costs of maintaining the site also grew with revenue. "We were very vulnerable," Ilyin-Adaev recalls

.

At the same time, the "clear leader" has serious competitors. The RBC media holding and Банкир.ру began to launch services for bank customers. For example, the latter, like "Банки.ру," acquired a search for deposits and loans (the portal's audience is now about 40 thousand users a day). The founder of Odnoklassniki, Albert Popkov, launched the Сравни.ру portal in 2009, where you can compare the services of bankers and insurers.

"We have a more detailed catalogue of banks and a better search of their services. We were the first on the market to start calculating an effective loan rate. "Банки.ру" began to take this indicator into account after us, "says Ilya Polozhintsev, executive director of Сравни.ру.

2007: German Gref's concern

One morning, a call rang out in the office of Philip Ilyin-Adayev. The alarmed top manager of Sberbank called, who offered to meet immediately. The case was after the appointment of German Gref as president of Sberbank in October 2007. Prior to that, the country's largest bank did not cooperate with Банки.ру.

"At the meeting, I realized from the look of the employee that he did not invite me out of great love for my site," laughs Ilyin-Adaev

.

It turned out that last night German Gref studied the "People's Rating of Banks," posted on the "Банки.ру," and in the morning arranged for top managers. Sberbank took not the best position in the rating. Visitors to the site criticized the bank often in the case, but employees ignored the criticism. Soon after Ilyin-Adaev met with a top manager of Sberbank, a "customer care service" appeared in the bank, and several of its employees began to answer questions and complaints that appeared on Банки.ру.

2006: People's Bank Rating

The calling card of "Банки.ру" was the "People's Rating of Banks" - a global complaint book. "The client can write a complaint on the bank's website, it goes into its bowels and dissolves there. They can just forget about her, - says Philip Ilyin-Adaev. - On an independent resource, everyone sees a complaint. The bank is interested in responding more quickly and solving the problem. "

Banks really reacted quickly. The largest advertiser at that time, Citibank, refused to cooperate with Банки.ру. "The solution can be understood. The situation was strange: on the website there is a mat-remat about City, and at the top they are advertising, "says Philip. Since then, they have often tried to put pressure on him. But, according to him, reviews on the site are removed only if there is little specifics in them or they are clearly custom-made.

During 2006, the daily attendance of Банки.ру increased from 7 thousand unique users to 18 thousand. Moreover, users began to spend more time on the site and fill it with content. Among the most active, Philip began to play mobile phones (now they have been replaced by an iPad). Most importantly, banks could no longer ignore the existence of "Банки.ру." "At first, the bankers swore:" You spoil our image, "and then realized that the best defense is cooperation," says Philip Ilyin-Adaev.

"We are probably the first bank to systematically respond to complaints on this site," recalls Alexey Marey, head of Alfa-Bank's retail business (in May 2012, he will become the bank's managing director). - This is not related to the merits of the site itself. We inside the bank are set up for dialogue, and wherever our customers leave feedback, we have to respond to them

.'

You can respond in the comments under the article as an ordinary user or officially on behalf of the bank. The subscription fee for this service is $6 thousand per year.

2005: Launch of the banki.ru

One of the creators of the publication Banki.ru is a graduate of the journalism department of Moscow State University Philip Ilyin-Adaev.

After the university, Philip worked as a journalist in the IMA-press news agency, and then in the PR service of several banks, but did not get pleasure from work.

"Here is at the event, for example, the editor-in-chief of some publication. And I understand that my job is to approach him and somehow use the acquaintance for my bank. But it went, "Philip reflects. "Worthless, in general, I was a PR man."

Moral torment, however, was compensated by a salary of $5 thousand per month.

When in 2005 Philip wanted to put savings on a deposit, he spent two hours looking for the most profitable deposits, I had to go to the website of each bank. Why not collect a base on deposits on one site? Encouraged, Philip decided to discuss the idea with his brother Cyril.

"The market is busy. We will not be able to move the "Банкир.ру," "he immediately said

.

True, the "Банкир.ру," which appeared back in 1999, with an attendance of almost 7 thousand people per day was the key platform for banks in Runet. But the resource had a weak point. It was created by an employee of one of the Krasnodar banks, Mikhail Lapushinsky, for the same bank employees. The Ilyina-Adaev brothers, on the contrary, decided to make a portal for clients.

In a startup launched in 2005, Kirill received 25% and was engaged in news and press monitoring, and Philip - 75%, because in addition to developing a search engine for deposits, he put $100 thousand on the line. For $2.5 thousand, he bought the domain name of the Banki.ru, spent about $2 thousand more on the technical creation of the site. Some of the money went to rent an office and salaries to four employees who began to collect information about the conditions for deposits. At the same time, Philip continued to work at Mezhprombank.

At this time, his wife TV presenter Elena Ishcheeva started repairs in the apartment, but all the free money went to the "Банки.ру." Philip took the project exactly one year to reach self-sufficiency. He was going to earn money on advertising. The first client appeared three months after the start: Soyuz Bank paid $3 thousand for the banner. On the scheduled date, Philip met (by the end of the first year, the site came out in plus), and soon started a career in PR. A couple of years later, his wife followed his example. Elena Ishcheeva resigned from the Domashny TV channel and began to work for her husband. She leads the project "Banks TV" on the website.

"Elena is a media and recognizable face. He interviews the first persons, and at the same time tells what "Банки.ру" is, "says^[6]

.

Competitors

• Сравни.ру
• Creditcardsonline

Notes