Attempt and torture: settlements in digital rubles started intermittently
The mass introduction of the digital ruble started intermittently on September 1. By this date, 22 major banks were supposed to provide the opportunity to open a wallet for all their customers. However, this functionality appeared only on Android smartphones. In a number of credit institutions, it did not work the first time, and in others, the corresponding button did not appear at all, Izvestia found out. Opening a wallet for the third form of the national currency was delayed at the stage of data verification through Gosuslugi — instead of five minutes, it took more than half an hour. When the tool will work fully and how widespread it will be — in the Izvestia material.
How to open a wallet for digital rubles in 2026
A wallet for digital rubles is created on the Central Bank's platform, but Russians get access to it through commercial banks. Its opening for Russians is strictly voluntary, but for credit institutions there are obligations — from September 1, they must provide customers with the opportunity to open an account in the third form of the national currency (along with cash and non-cash). At the first stage, this requirement applies to 22 financial institutions that the regulator has recognized as significant in the payment market. Other players will have to provide the functionality at a later date.
Izvestia checked how the opening of wallets for digital rubles works in the largest banks. In order for the functionality to appear, the application needs to be updated — on Android smartphones it is easy to do this through Russian app stores, but on iOS it will be necessary to wait until market players find a way to deliver a new version of the utility to customers.
On September 1, the opportunity to open a wallet for digital rubles appeared in Sberbank. However, the client's path is not easy. A person needs to go to the "Checkout" menu on the main screen, then scroll to the bottom of the page, where a bright red "Digital Ruble" button is displayed in the "Still possible" column. After that, the system offers to confirm the account opening through Gosuslugi. Next, you need to give several consents to data processing, and then create a unique key to protect your wallet. You also need to come up with an additional password for it.
— At the first stage, the service is available on devices with the Android operating system with a version of the mobile application not lower than 17.11. Later, the ability to use the service will appear on iOS. For advice, clients can contact the Sber contact center. Our specialists will help you understand the service and answer questions about operations," the bank's press service told Izvestia.
It is also possible to open a digital ruble account at VTB, the Izvestia correspondent found out. To do this, you need to install an up-to-date application (versions 20.16 and higher). However, not all customers have this option available on September 1. According to the bank's press service, the launch of the functionality will be phased. However, you can connect the account as a priority via a chatbot or a contact center. In addition, they added that they are working on the implementation of an interface for smartphones based on iOS.
In Alfa-Bank, according to the correspondent's experience, the interface for opening a wallet is the simplest, it is easy to find it in the mobile application in the "Registration of new products" tab. At the same time, the data confirmation stage through Gosuslugi was delayed: instead of the promised five minutes, it took more than half an hour.
It is also easy to find a digital ruble card in the PSB — you need to scroll down the page on the main screen. However, here we managed to start working with digital rubles only from the third time, before that an error was issued when issuing the certificate. We also managed to send money after one mistake.
It was not possible to access the digital rubles account in Ozon Bank. When you click on this icon, it is reported in the application that technical work is underway, such operations are unavailable and will appear later.
The correspondent of Izvestia could not open an account in digital rubles at Raiffeisenbank, and it was also impossible to update the application to the current version — even the support service could not help with this. They reported that the new version of the application will gradually reach users' devices.
The press service of Sovcombank stated that they had implemented the functionality in full: to use it, you need to download the latest versions of applications from the bank's website (for Android). iOS is still in development, they clarified.
Dom Bank.RF has launched digital ruble services in mobile banking. Starting from September 1, customers with Android smartphones with the current version of the application can use the new service in the normal mode, it is located in the main menu, Nikolay Kozak, Deputy chairman of the management Board, told Izvestia.
— Despite the massive nature of the launch, the number of calls to the contact center on this topic remains minimal and is calculated in units, all requests received concerned solely clarifying the procedure for opening an account, our operators promptly provide the necessary clarifications. As of the first half of September 1, several hundred digital ruble accounts have already been opened through our bank, and we see steady interest from users," said Nikolai Kozak.
In addition to opening an account, the correspondent also successfully managed to transfer digital rubles from one wallet to another. Izvestia has sent inquiries to the listed financial institutions.
The Central Bank is aware that customers of some banks experience certain inconveniences during certain operations with digital rubles, they told Izvestia. The regulator added that they are working with banks to eliminate these problems as soon as possible.
Who needs a digital ruble
Indeed, far from everyone has this functionality working to the fullest, the financial adviser and Founder of Rodin confirmed to Izvestia.Capital Alexey Rodin. This is due, firstly, to the high requirements of the Bank of Russia regarding the security certificate, which takes time to implement. And secondly, with the low interest of the banks themselves. At the current stage, due to the low base, it will not bring significant profits, since Russians are not ready to use this type of money to pay.
— But the requirement of the Central Bank does not belong to the category of "optional". It is mandatory, so no bank will dare to delay the process too much. Therefore, we are talking about one to three weeks during which banks will implement this functionality," Alexey Rodin is confident.
Gradually, the requirement to open accounts in digital rubles will spread to the entire market. Players with a universal license will have to connect to the platform from September 1, 2027, and banks with a basic license from September 1, 2028.
From the beginning of autumn 2026, large retail and service enterprises, whose annual revenue for 2025 exceeded 120 million rubles, are also required to accept digital rubles for payment. Rospotrebnadzor will monitor compliance with this requirement. In the future, the threshold for business will decrease: from 2027, the obligation will affect companies with revenue of 30 million rubles, and from 2028 — from 20 million rubles.
For citizens, digital rubles have several advantages. Firstly, transfers between individuals are completely free and have no amount limits. Secondly, the safety of funds is 100% guaranteed by the state, since the money lies on the regulator's platform, and not on the accounts of commercial banks (where only up to 1.4 million are insured). Thirdly, in the future, the Central Bank plans to implement offline payment technology, which will allow paying in digital rubles even in the absence of cellular communications and the Internet.
Retailers are becoming the main beneficiaries of the introduction of a new form of currency. Trading will be able to significantly save on acquiring fees: the Central Bank's tariff for sellers is fixed at 0.3% of the check amount (but not more than 1.5 thousand rubles), which is several times cheaper than traditional card acquiring with rates of 1.5–3%. As noted by Mikhail Khachaturian, associate professor at the Financial University, at the initial stage, business savings on acquiring and, consequently, bank losses can amount to 2-3% of the current level of commission payments.
Banks also risk losing some of their cheap liquidity due to the flow of funds from customers' current accounts to the Central Bank's platform. In order to attract and retain depositors in the classic banking circuit, credit institutions will have to use loyalty programs more actively, increase cashback on cards and offer higher interest rates on deposits and savings accounts. However, Mikhail Khachaturian emphasizes that since the digital ruble will remain a niche means of payment on the horizon of 2026 and even the 2030s (with a retail share of 1 to 5%), radical pressure on bank liquidity is not expected. This means that the sector is unlikely to need urgent and aggressive marketing tools to retain its customer base.
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