Central Bank of Russia proposes staged digital ruble launch with mandatory acceptance from 1 September 2026 for largest banks and big merchants

The Central Bank of Russia has submitted amendments to a draft law to the State Duma proposing revised deadlines for the full-scale introduction of transfers and payments in digital rubles, with requirements phased in for banks and merchants based on size. Under the proposal, the largest banks would need to enable their clients to transact in the digital national currency from 1 September 2026, with further stages running through 1 September 2028. From 1 September 2026, trade companies that are clients of the largest banks and whose prior-year revenue exceeds RUB 120 million would have to make their infrastructure ready to accept digital ruble payments for goods and services. Banks with a universal licence and their merchant clients with annual revenue above RUB 30 million would have until 1 September 2027, while all remaining banks and sellers with annual revenue below RUB 30 million would have to comply from 1 September 2028; the obligation does not apply to retail outlets with revenue below RUB 5 million per year. Payments would use a universal QR code based on the National Payment Card System solution, and all banks would have to be technically prepared to work with it by 1 September 2026. Deadlines for banks to connect sellers to the universal QR code will be set by the Central Bank of Russia Board of Directors. The central bank also reiterated that the digital ruble will circulate alongside cash and non-cash rubles and that transactions in the digital national currency will be fee-free for Russian citizens.