Russia’s Finance Ministry starts digital ruble salaries

• Russia’s Finance Ministry has paid some employees their salaries in digital rubles for the first time.
• The first payments took place on 1 October 2026 through Bank of Russia digital-ruble accounts.
• The move expands digital-ruble use across Russia’s public-sector payment infrastructure.

Russia’s Finance Ministry has made its first salary payments in digital rubles.

The first payments took place on 1 October 2026 through accounts opened on the Bank of Russia platform.

The digital ruble is Russia’s third form of national currency alongside cash and bank deposits.

Russia began wider digital-ruble use on 1 September 2026 through major banks and retailers.

Employees can choose whether to receive salaries in digital rubles, with participation remaining voluntary.

The Finance Ministry and Federal Treasury have already used digital rubles for budget payments and government contracts.

The Finance Ministry and Federal Treasury processed almost 16 million roubles in digital-ruble payments during 2025.

The initiative marks a direct shift toward light-touch federal oversight across emerging digital asset markets.