Digital ruble accounts top 220,000 in first month, beating central bank forecast

Russia’s central bank expected roughly 60,000 people to open digital ruble accounts by the end of the year. It got more than 220,000 in a single month. The figure was disclosed on October 6, 2026, about five weeks after the nationwide rollout began on September 1. It lands as BRICS nations work on ways to connect their digital currency systems for cross-border trade and payments. The numbers behind the launch Bank of Russia Deputy Governor Zulfiya Kakhrumanova addressed the early adoption at the Fintech X10 forum. She acknowledged the uptake had come in stronger than the central bank anticipated. By her account, the more than 220,000 accounts opened by the end of September represented more than three times the institution’s initial forecast. The prior expectation had been approximately 60,000 accounts by year-end. The digital ruble now sits as Russia’s third official form of money. It joins cash and bank deposits on the list. Unlike a bank deposit, which is a claim on a commercial lender, the digital ruble is issued directly by the Bank of Russia. Users still reach it through familiar channels: the mobile apps of participating commercial banks. Payments run mainly through QR codes....