The Russian Ministry of Finance announced on Friday that some employees received their salaries for the first time in digital rubles. The ministry did not disclose the number of recipients or the total amount issued.

The ministry stated that Russian citizens can voluntarily choose to receive their salaries in this central bank digital currency, available from October 1. Employees must first open a digital ruble account on the Central Bank of Russia's platform to receive these funds; those who do not opt for this will continue to use the traditional salary channels.

This initiative is part of an internal application with existing payment channels. The pilot program for the 2025 federal budget has issued approximately 16 million digital rubles, equivalent to about $192,245, for purposes including individual salaries, scholarships, and government contract settlements. Starting January 2026, federal state, budgetary, and autonomous institutions will be able to use digital rubles for settlements as per regulations, and some institutions will also be able to receive payments in it.

The development of the digital ruble began in 2021. Cointelegraph previously reported that large-scale implementation was set for September 1, with major banks and retail businesses beginning to support transactions, positioning it to run parallel to the existing ruble rather than replacing cash. The Central Bank of Russia is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to integrate digital rubles into budget payments.

The 2025 pilot also covers transfers between individuals and businesses, as well as several smart contracts. If the budget process is incorporated into the budget law, the government could switch to using digital rubles for contracts that require detailed tracking due to multiple subcontracts. Currently, this remains a temporary authority within the annual budget execution.

The payer is the Ministry of Finance, and the payee is the voluntarily registered employee, not public market buyers. The event is driven by the transition of the budget pilot into departmental salaries. Funds flow from the treasury into the Central Bank platform account. The beneficiaries are those receiving actual salary flows through the digital ruble system, while the pressured parties are those still using the traditional salary channels through commercial banks, as well as EU services that have already imposed restrictions on this currency since April.

The 16 million digital rubles correspond only to the 2025 pilot and cannot be considered the total salary amount for this round.

Source: Public Information