A digital ruble issued by Russia’s central bank has been proposed to pay salaries, but state officials insist that income in the new digital currency is not mandatory. According to the country’s Ministry of Finance, Russia’s CBDC program was launched in 2021 and formally formalized through legal reform two years later.
Anton Tkachev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy and Communications, told reporters at a press conference that workers and employers still have the right to choose between cash and cryptocurrency payments.
“Receiving a salary in digital rubles is an additional opportunity for people. They can decide for themselves how they receive their wages,” Tkachev told several local news publications.
He explained that the gradual introduction of state-backed digital currencies could create a “digital divide” between citizens with different levels of proficiency with digital devices. Mr. Tkachev proposed implementing programs to improve digital literacy, creating competence centers and developing educational initiatives.
“Continued and comprehensive support efforts will help teach people how to use the digital ruble and make digital currency education a priority in the eyes of the public,” he surmised.
Digital ruble pilot payments were issued in September
Ministry of Finance of Russia reported In mid-September, the Russian Ministry of Finance announced that it had paid Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the State Duma Finance Committee, his first salary in digital rubles. Aksakov spent the money on restaurant bills and charity donations to test the currency’s real-world functionality.
Russia’s central bank authorities will allow transactions between digital ruble accounts from January 2026, but recipients will be able to choose whether to accept payments in the digital currency.
Full public rollout is scheduled for September 1, 2026, following phased testing for payments in government remittances, commerce, transportation and real estate.
Still, the scope of the digital ruble does not extend to pensioners, as authorities have confirmed that payments to retirees will not be converted into CBDC. Chairman of the State Duma Labor and Social Policy Committee Yaroslav Nilov said that Russian pensioners will continue to receive funds in cash or bank cards.
Governor of the Central Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina supported Nilov’s sentiments added that the digital ruble is voluntary for state employees.
“The Bank of Russia has not yet participated in this experiment, but we plan to do so in the near future, and our employees will be able to participate in this experiment on a voluntary basis. Once the digital ruble is available to everyone, the public will be able to make that decision.”
Smart contracts and regional testing programs
The digital ruble is also being tested in a regional project by Ak Barz Bank in partnership with the Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance of Tatarstan. The bank’s pilot program used the digital ruble to transfer subsidies from the Republican budget. Tagir Karimov, first vice chairman of Ak Barz Bank, announced the project at the Finopolis Forum earlier this year.
This pilot focused on a subsidy program that supports the costs of issuing legislation in the Republic of Tatarstan under conditions defined in a smart contract. Mr. Karimov confirmed that all technical steps of the roadmap have been completed and smart contract functionality on the Digital Louvre platform has been implemented.
“All work according to the roadmap has been completed. AK Bars Bank is ready to use the digital ruble in the budgeting process,” Karimov informed Nabiullina.
But Yaroslav Kabakov, director of strategy at Finum Investment Company and lecturer at the Higher School of Economics, says it will take years for the digital ruble to be accepted by the public.
“The digital ruble is unlikely to become widespread soon, especially if participation remains voluntary, since many people are accustomed to cash and bank cards and do not want to move to some kind of ‘new account’ or application,” Kabakov thought.
It was in Cryppolitan covered A recent survey by the online financial comparison service Выберу.ру (vbr.ru) and the Russian branch of IT Smart Finance found that about 10% of Russians are ready to invest in crypto assets.
Awareness of digital currencies among those surveyed was around 80%, but only 3% to 5% of individuals aged 25 to 50 currently have a record of owning cryptocurrencies.
