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Social Sales Drive Runet's $510B Economy in 2025
28 Apr
Summary
- Runet's economy reached $510 billion in 2025, a 28.1% increase.
- E-commerce led growth, accounting for $308 billion in 2025.
- Social commerce is identified as the primary driver of growth.
The Russian internet economy, known as Runet, reached an estimated $510 billion in 2025, reflecting a substantial 28.1% increase compared to 2024. E-commerce was the largest segment, growing by 40% to $308 billion by the end of the year.
Social commerce, defined as sales through social media platforms with communicative elements, has been identified as the crucial driver for growth in 2025 and 2026. This is particularly notable as the e-commerce market approaches maximum audience reach, with limited potential for new user acquisition in many areas.
The information and communications technology (ICT) sector also experienced significant expansion, growing by 12% to $181 billion. This includes substantial contributions from software development, computer production, and telecommunications services.
Preliminary data indicates that Russia's overall IT market grew by 17.8% to $52.5 billion. Furthermore, experts suggest that legalizing pirated media consumption could potentially add an additional $6.6 billion to the market, given that current pirated consumption is estimated to be double that of legal consumption.
