Yandex Browser has seen a rise in its monthly active user base and download numbers in Russia. According to Digital Budget data, the mobile application's audience grew by 31% year-over-year in August. Meanwhile, the Russian user base for Google Chrome declined by 3%, and Opera saw a 19% drop.
The growth in Yandex Browser downloads is attributed to the transition of Russian banks to national TLS certificates issued by the Ministry of Digital Development. While foreign browsers struggle to access these sites due to lack of support for domestic security standards, Yandex Browser maintains stable operation.
As of October 2026, Yandex Browser is installed on 95 million active devices. The desktop version saw a 5% increase in downloads, while the mobile app grew by 2.4%. Users are increasingly opting for the browser to avoid the manual configuration of security certificates required by other platforms.
The issue of SSL certificate revocation for Russian websites by foreign entities like GlobalSign has persisted since 2022. To address this, the Ministry of Digital Development plans to introduce ten new types of security certificates by March 1, 2027, and the company CryptoPro is currently developing its own browser.
