Bank of Russia proposes new deadlines for full-scale introduction of digital ruble
Transfers and payments in digital rubles will be introduced in stages. The largest banks will have to enable their clients to conduct transactions with the digital national currency from 1 September 2026. The Bank of Russia has submitted the proposed amendments to the relevant draft law to the State Duma.
From this date, trade companies that are clients of the largest banks and whose revenue for the previous year exceeds ₽120 million will have to open their infrastructure for digital rubles and enable payments for goods and services in the digital national currency.
Other banks with a universal licence and trade companies that are their clients with annual revenue of over ₽30 million will be given more time to adjust their systems — until 1 September 2027. All remaining banks and sellers with annual revenue of less than ₽30 million will have to comply with the requirements starting from 1 September 2028. This obligation will not apply to retail outlets with revenue of less than ₽5 million per year.
The new deadlines were set after discussing the details with market participants as well as ministries and agencies concerned. They were determined considering the time required for banks and trade companies to adjust their systems.
Payments for purchases in digital rubles will be made using a universal QR code based on the National Payment Card System (NPCS) solution. All banks will have to be technically prepared to work with it by 1 September 2026. The deadlines for banks to connect sellers to the universal QR code will be established by the Bank of Russia Board of Directors. This code is already available to all banks and retail outlets using the Faster Payments System, which reduces their integration costs. In addition, the NPCS will provide the universal QR code to banks free of charge.
The digital ruble is the digital form of the national currency, which has been designed to expand the options of making payments and transfers. Digital rubles will be in circulation along with cash and non-cash rubles. All transactions with the digital national currency will be fee-free for Russian citizens. People will be able to decide for themselves which form of the ruble to use.
More information about the digital ruble is available on the Bank of Russia website.