RBC News specifies Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the Duma Committee on Financial Market, became the first recipient of budget payments in digital rubles. He himself expressed his desire to become the first recipient of a salary in digital currency. The deputy’s press service distributed some details: he received funds to his digital wallet on the Central Bank’s platform and immediately tested making payments from the account by making two transactions in favor of charitable organizations and paying for an order in a restaurant.
The Russian Ministry of Finance emphasized that until the mass introduction of the digital ruble, all payments from the budget in this currency will be made solely at the request of the recipients.
RBC recalled that in June this year, Moscow Deputy Mayor for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov reported that the Moscow Metro became the first Russian organization to successfully make a test payment with a digital ruble to a legal entity.
The law signed in July 2025 by Russian President Vladimir Putin stipulates that the mass introduction of the digital ruble in the country should begin on September 1, 2026. From that date, the largest banks and retail outlets with revenues of more than 120 million rubles for the previous calendar year must be given the opportunity to pay with the digital ruble. From September 1, 2027 it will affect those organizations whose revenue exceeds 30 million rubles per year. For all others, the requirement will become effective from September 1, 2028.
