YouTube And Google Play Store Stop Paid Services And Payments In Russia

JAKARTA – Subsidiaries of Alphabet Inc., YouTube and Google Play store, have now suspended all payment-based services in Russia. This also includes subscriptions, as Western sanctions are starting to pose a banking challenge in the country.

According to sources at Alphabet Inc., Google will also pause ads for Russian-based advertisers across its properties and networks globally. This is in addition to the company's recent ad suspension in Russia.

Google and YouTube had previously stopped selling online ads in Russia following similar pauses by Twitter Inc and Snap Inc following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"As a follow-up, we are now extending this pause to all of our monetization tools, including YouTube Premium, Channel Membership, Super Chat, and Merchandise, for viewers in Russia," YouTube said in a statement Thursday, March 10.

YouTube channels in Russia can still generate revenue from viewers outside Russia, which includes Super Chat and merchandise sales. Free apps on Google Play also remain available in Russia, according to the company's support website. However, residents in Russia can no longer enjoy the subscription facilities available on Google Play.