The head of the Federal Treasury Artyukhin called the advantages and risks of the digital ruble

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov instructed to ensure the use of the digital ruble as a new national currency equivalent to regular payments. Roman Artyukhin, head of the Federal Treasury, told Izvestia about its advantages and risks on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025).

According to Artyukhin, one of the advantages of the digital ruble is the increased transparency of financial flows that arise outside the treasury.

"There is also a risk. It is related to what we need to see, depending on the size of these payments, the volume of these payments. We have a fairly well-developed treasury system that ensures the accumulation of all the liquidity of all budgets in a single treasury account, which we effectively manage. And therefore, we must look at and follow the trends in the development of the payment market using the digital ruble," said the head of the Treasury.

According to Artyukhin's estimates, in October 2025 it is planned to conduct the first test of the digital ruble in several payments, and in 2026 it will be possible to make payments in favor of or from the federal budget. From July 1, 2027, the use of the digital ruble will be available for all budgets of the system, he added.

The head of the Treasury also clarified that the digital ruble does not imply the opening of digital wallets for recipients of funds from the budget. The system previously formed in the Treasury will remain for them.

"The trend towards digitalization is having good effects, understanding what is happening now and what will happen tomorrow. And this issue is also the main one for us, including from the point of view of liquidity," he concluded.

Payment scheme: the State Duma Committee approved a draft on the phased introduction of the digital ruble

What will change with the advent of the third form of national currency

On May 22, at the plenary session, the State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill obliging banks to carry out operations with the digital ruble and use a universal QR code. It clarifies that banks and points of sale must provide payment in digital currency within three years.