Digital ruble to launch Sept. 1; 12 banks connected

The Bank of Russia set Sept. 1 as the public launch date for its digital ruble. Twelve major banks are already connected to the central bank platform, and the country’s universal QR payment network, used by more than 9 million retail outlets, is prepared to accept the new currency.

According to Alla Bakina, director of the Bank of Russia’s National Payment System Department, most private banks that took part in the nationwide pilot will be ready to offer digital-ruble services on the launch date. Bakina reported 12 large banks are connected and operational, with nine other significant banks progressing toward full implementation. She added that up to two banks may require more time based on assessments of their 2025 activity.

Pavel Potanin, deputy general director of the National Payment Card System (NSPK), confirmed the digital ruble is prepared to work with the universal QR payments system. Potanin noted the law requires banks with a significant market share to enable the digital-ruble option by Sept. 1. The universal QR infrastructure links more than 9 million outlets and about 200 banks.

Treasury Secretary Roman Artyukhin reported the federal payment infrastructure is operational and that tests have processed 35,000 rubles. “The federal infrastructure is fully operational,” Artyukhin said, describing the processed amount as an early test for the payments ecosystem.

Under the planned rollout, private banks that participated in the pilot will serve as customer access points for digital-ruble accounts. The currency is designed to operate alongside existing non-cash systems and to work through standard merchant QR codes, enabling payments without new hardware. Banks completing their connections are finalizing back-end work to handle account linking, transfers and compliance checks tied to the central bank platform.

The central bank ran a nationwide pilot to test technical integration, settlement processes and user flows before the launch. Authorities reviewed participating banks’ 2025 activity to determine readiness and allowed additional time for banks that were not yet ready. Regulators and payment providers will continue to monitor connections and resolve any remaining technical issues ahead of the Sept. 1 start, which will be the first public deployment of the central bank digital currency across the existing retail payments network.