Spotify puts a line under paying subscribers in Russia

Today, Thursday, the Swedish online music giant Spotify announced the end of its paid subscriptions in Russia, which has become almost impossible due to the sanctions imposed on bank cards and means of payment in the country.

• Read also: Ukraine: Spotify closes its offices in Russia and withdraws content

“Due to new restrictions put in place by major payment providers, the majority of Premium users in Russia can no longer make their payments,” a spokesperson for the world’s #1 voice platform told AFP.

“Paid accounts will be canceled if the monthly payment fails and the account will be automatically transferred to our free service,” he said in a written statement.

Spotify didn’t immediately confirm how many subscribers it would lose in Russia, but according to US magazine Variety, it plans to revise its subscriber forecast downward by 1.5 million at the end of the first three months.

The free service remains available to “allow the global flow of information” to continue to circulate, referring to the world’s number one podcast, emphasizing “art and information are powerful forces for good.”

The New York-listed group announced last week the closure of its offices in Russia and the removal of Russian state-sponsored content from its site.