Bank of Russia Confirms September Rollout for Digital Ruble, With Top Banks ‘Ready and Connected’

Alla Bakina, Director of the Bank of Russia’s National Payment System Department, highlighted that most private banks in Russia are ready to provide digital ruble services on September 1. The currency will integrate with the existing universal QR code payment system.

The Central Bank of Russia has offered an update on the readiness of its digital ruble initiative, which is planned to launch on September 1. According to Alla Bakina, Director of the Bank of Russia’s National Payment System Department, most of the major banks that participated in the nationwide pilot will be ready to offer digital ruble services on that date.

Bakina highlighted that nine other significant banks were already making good progress in connecting their system and completing the work towards a full implementation of the digital ruble. Nonetheless, she acknowledged that at most two banks may not be able to complete the work toward this inclusion. “This is simply because they acquired this status based on our analysis of their activities, based on the results of 2025, and they simply objectively need a little more time,” she concluded.

“The federal infrastructure is fully operational. After all, both individuals and businesses perceive the ruble as a non-cash currency. We’ve received 35,000 rubles. This may be a small step for the digital ruble, but it’s a big step for the ecosystem,” he declared.

Pavel Potanin, Deputy General Director of the National Payment Card System (NSPK), stressed that the digital ruble is already prepared to work with the universal QR payments system, as the law establishes that banks with significant market share should enable this option on that date.

The universal QR payment system encompasses over 9 million retail outlets and 200 banks.