Russia launched the digital ruble nationwide on September 1 after real-user trials that began in 2023. Within 10 days, users opened 87,000 accounts and completed more than 50,000 transactions, according to Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina.
Nabiullina said the rollout had proceeded with few operational problems. Several banks faced issues when customers opened accounts or carried out certain transactions, but the banks resolved them quickly.
She said the central bank had not recorded widespread disruption or a large number of complaints. Instead, activity accelerated as more people tested the new form of money.
The governor said many users were trying the digital ruble to understand how it works. She added that the central bank expects convenience to influence whether people continue using it.
The Bank of Russia is also working to simplify the user experience. Nabiullina said officials want to reduce the number of steps needed to open accounts or complete transactions.
At the same time, the central bank intends to maintain strong safeguards. Nabiullina said the digital ruble had attracted interest from individuals and companies, while users would still choose how they pay.
That choice does not remove new acceptance requirements for large institutions. Since September 1, Russia’s 12 largest banks and retailers earning more than 120 million rubles annually must accept digital rubles.
The threshold equals about USD 1.42 million based on the figures provided. Russia plans to extend acceptance requirements to more companies through 2028.
Separate central bank data also showed rising crypto-related activity among Russian users before the nationwide digital ruble launch. From Q4 2023 through Q1 2024, traffic to major crypto sites rose 16.4%.
Russian users made 104.6 million visits during that period, while unique IP addresses increased 15.1%. Russia accounted for 7% of traffic to major international crypto exchanges, down from a previous 9% peak.
Read More: Bitcoin Inflows, Russia’s Crypto Law, Pi Network Rose 10%
Using Rosfinmonitoring’s Transparent Blockchain tool, the bank identified more than USD 50.2 billion in transactions potentially linked to Russians. The figure included trading, peer-to-peer payments, remittances, and purchases of goods and services.
The report said Russian users favored larger crypto assets, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside dollar-linked stablecoins such as USDT. It also warned that sanctions could restrict access to stablecoin funds, including USDT and USDC.
The Bank of Russia advised domestic financial institutions to avoid crypto-related financial instruments and services. Binance has also exited the Russian market, while new regulation remains part of the country’s changing crypto environment.
Russia’s digital ruble rollout recorded 87,000 accounts and more than 50,000 transactions within 10 days. Meanwhile, earlier central bank data showed rising crypto activity among Russian users. The rollout now combines expanding CBDC access with tighter acceptance rules and continued warnings about crypto-related financial risks.
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