Siluanov: Pilot projects need to be chosen for testing traceability tools in digital rubles

MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) - Pilot projects need to be selected for testing traceability tools in digital rubles, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at an extended board meeting of the Federal Treasury.

"Pilot projects for testing traceability instruments in digital rubles must be chosen. This could be projects in the field of construction and services, salary projects. It is important to scale up these efforts. The digital ruble could be used in smart contracts and in price monitoring, or become a tool to support the system of treasury control and assistance," Siluanov said.

The digital ruble is the third form of the Russian national currency that the Central Bank of Russia plans to issue in addition to the existing forms of cash and non-cash money. The CBR began conducting a pilot project with real digital rubles on August 15, 2023. Large banks and trading companies are expected to begin providing clients with access to digital ruble transactions on September 1, 2026.

As of January 1, 2026, participants of the pilot project can now pay digital rubles into the budget. Roman Artyukhin, head of the Federal Treasury, said that the first payment of 1,500 rubles had been received on January 1, an administrative fine paid using the digital ruble. The treasury is now working with the CBR and the Finance Ministry to determine areas of budget spending which could be moved over to the digital ruble platform, Artyukhin said in early March.