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The system has now moved into the payroll

The digital ruble was used for salary payments for the first time at the Russian Finance Ministry. In a statement on Friday, the ministry said some employees were paid in the new currency format. It did not disclose how many staff joined the system or the total payroll amount.

The ministry said the payment option is voluntary for Russian citizens and that the rollout began on Thursday. The move marks a new stage in taking the digital ruble out of pilot tests and into the day-to-day running of public payments.

Undisclosed figures drew attention

It is still unclear whether the first payment was symbolic or part of a broader trial. The ministry did not say how many people received salaries in digital rubles or how large the payments were.

What do the budget test figures show?

The Russian Finance Ministry said the infrastructure used in the salary process had previously been tested in federal budget spending trials. According to the statement, around 16 million digital rubles were distributed in 2025 tests. The source said this was equivalent to about $192,245.

  • Amount used in federal budget spending tests: 16 million digital rubles
  • Approximate equivalent given in the source: $192,245

The ministry said the payment channels validated in those tests have now been adapted to its own payroll procedure. As a result, the digital ruble has been expanded from budget operations to staff payments.

Joint timetable with the central bank remains in place

Work to integrate the digital ruble into the budget process is being carried out jointly by the Central Bank of Russia and the Russian Finance Ministry. Under the previously announced timetable, major banks and retail companies had begun preparations to enable transactions in the new currency from September 1.

Expansion plans and sanctions angle

The digital ruble is designed as a complement to cash and the traditional ruble, with the initial goal of being accepted by financial and credit institutions. Development of the system began in 2021, and it was also included in the sanctions package announced by the European Union in April. The Council of Europe announced those restrictions in connection with Russia’s war against Ukraine.

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