The Central Bank reports that the corresponding law was adopted by the State Duma on July 15, 2025.
Major banks will be the first to provide their clients with access to digital roubles - enabling them to open wallets, make transfers, pay for goods and services, and carry out other operations. This obligation will be introduced step by step for all banks until September 2028.
Trading companies that are clients of major banks and had annual revenue exceeding 120 million roubles in a previous year will also be required to accept payments in the digital form of the national currency starting from September 1, 2026.
Banks with a universal licence and their commercial clients with annual revenue over 30 million roubles will be required to begin working with digital roubles from September 1, 2027. All other banks and sellers with revenue under 30 million roubles per year must comply by September 1, 2028. However, the obligation to accept payments in digital roubles will not apply to retail outlets whose annual revenue is less than 5 million roubles.
The law also sets deadlines for the launch of a universal QR code developed on the National Payment Card System (NSPK) platform. Such QR codes will significantly simplify the payment process for both consumers and sellers by eliminating the confusion caused by multiple QR codes at checkout. The universal QR code will allow access to various payment options, including the Faster Payments System (FPS), bank services, installment plans, and, in the future, digital roubles. Users will retain bonuses and discounts linked to their selected payment method.
All banks must complete the technical integration of their systems with the universal QR code by September 1, 2026, though they may do so earlier at their option.
NSPK will provide the universal QR code service to banks free of charge, helping to reduce their integration costs. The deadlines by which banks must begin offering the universal QR code to sellers will be set by the Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia.
The Central Bank reminds citizens that digital roubles will circulate alongside cash and non-cash money. Individuals will be able to open a digital wallet and use the national digital currency through their existing banking apps, provided the bank is connected to the Bank of Russia's digital rouble platform. All transactions with the digital rouble will be free of charge for individuals. The choice to use digital roubles or not remains entirely up to each person.
