Number of digital ruble accounts jumps by 87,000 in 10 days, over 50,000 transactions conducted - Nabiullina
MOSCOW. Sept 11 (Interfax) - The number of digital ruble accounts jumped by 87,000 over a ten-day period, and the number of transactions exceeded 50,000, following the mass launch of the currency in early September, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said at a press conference.
"The number of [digital ruble] accounts opened is growing daily, and the process is ongoing. In just ten days, 87,000 accounts have been opened, and over 50,000 transactions have been carried out. Of course, many people are simply testing it out to see how it works. However, we hope they will appreciate the convenience and the fact that the services are free of charge, and will continue to use it. Ultimately, though, the choice of what to use is theirs. We do not track regional statistics because the digital ruble platform is unified for everyone, regardless of city or region," Nabiullina said.
Nabiullina said that the full-scale launch of the digital ruble has gone smoothly. Several customers at certain banks had trouble in the initial days, namely issues with opening digital ruble accounts or performing specific transactions, though these were promptly resolved.
"The banks involved handled this very quickly, and we were in constant contact with them. We have not seen widespread problems or a large volume of complaints," Nabiullina noted.
"I would like to emphasize that it is always a matter of balancing simplicity and security regarding the overall improvement of the customer journey. As the saying goes, we are currently working in parallel to reduce the number of clicks a person needs in order to open an account or perform a transaction, while ensuring we maintain a high level of protection. Overall, we are seeing interest from both individuals and companies," Nabiullina added.
The digital ruble is the third form of Russian national currency that the Central Bank of Russia plans to issue in addition to existing forms of money, cash and non-cash. The Central Bank has been conducting a pilot project with digital rubles since mid-August 2023. Major banks and trading companies are expected to be required to provide their clients with the ability to conduct transactions with the digital national currency starting from September 1, 2026.
