On July 17, according to TASS, the Russian State Duma passed a law in its second and third readings to gradually promote the widespread circulation of the digital ruble and introduce a universal QR code for payment of goods and services in the Russian payment system. Starting from September 1, 2026, enterprises with annual income of 1.2 billion rubles and above must provide payment services supporting the digital ruble, and payment for goods and services must use the digital ruble QR code. Large enterprises are obligated to provide payment options, while some small enterprises may opt out.
Previously, on June 27, the Russian Central Bank announced that the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) digital ruble will be officially launched nationwide on September 1, 2026. The Russian CBDC will achieve interoperability with digital currencies issued by other BRICS countries and may be used in cross-border trade, helping Russian traders bypass sanctions.
