Share of ruble payments in Russia's trade turnover continues rising to exceed 57% in Sept - Central Bank data

MOSCOW. Nov 18 (Interfax) - The share of payments in rubles in Russia's trade settlements once again reached a new high of 57.4% in September 2025 following 55.4% in August and 54.9% in July, according to calculations based on preliminary data on the currency structure of trade settlements published on the website of the Central Bank of Russia.

Beginning in March 2025, over half of payments for goods and services under trade contracts were rendered in the national currency for the first six months of the year.

Russia's positive trade balance in goods and services is estimated at $9.8 billion in September following $1.456 billion in August.

Specifically, the balance of settlements in unfriendly currencies, which was negative in August (-$0.3 billion) and not offset by a positive balance of settlements in friendly currencies ($0.2 billion), became positive in September ($1.9 billion), exceeding the positive balance of settlements in friendly currencies ($0.3 billion) sixfold.

The result of trade settlements during these months was determined by transactions in Russian rubles, whose positive balance jumped 4.5-fold month-on-month to $7.5 billion in dollar equivalent in September from $1.6 billion in August.

The share of payments in rubles for Russian exports reached a record high in September, rising to 59.6% from 56.6% in August and 54.4% in July.

Meantime, the share of payments under export contracts in the currencies of friendly countries fell to 25.7% in September after 29.6% in August and 32.4% in July. Conversely, payments in the currencies of unfriendly states increased to 14.7% in September after 13.9% in August and 13.2% in July.

The share of payments in Russian rubles for imported goods and services to the Russian Federation increased to 54.6% in September after 54.2% in August. The share has exceeded half since December 2024 to a record high of 56.2% in April.

Meantime, the share of currencies of unfriendly countries in import payments fell to a record low of 13.2% in September after 15.5% in August and 14.5% in July.

Nearly one-third of payments for import supplies to Russia are rendered in the currencies of friendly countries at 32.3% in September after 30.3% in August and 30.2% in July.