Samsung Electronics Wins Patent Suit on Samsung Pay in Russia

Samsung Electronics has finally won a patent dispute related to Samsung Pay in Russia.

A Russian patent tribunal recently invalidated two patent claims on an electronic payment system filed by Switzerland-based electronic payment company SQWIN SA. A patent infringement lawsuit filed by SQWIN SA against Samsung Electronics is also expected to be automatically closed.

In 2021, SQWIN SA filed a patent suit against Samsung Electronics with the Moscow Arbitration Court in Russia, claiming that Samsung Pay violated its patents. The Russian court ruled in favor of the plaintiff in the first trial in July 2021. In October of the same year, the sale of 61 Galaxy smartphone models including the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was banned in Russia. Yet, the court sided with Samsung Electronics in an appeal.

Thanks to the court ruling, Samsung Electronics is expected to keep its leadership in the Russian smartphone market. The Korean smartphone giant ranks first in the Russian smartphone market with a share of 33 percent. However, Chinese companies, including Xiaomi, are growing rapidly.

Samsung Electronics’ annual smartphone shipments in Russia are estimated at 30 million units. Russia accounts for 19 percent of the total European smartphone market, Counterpoint Research says.