Russia’s MTS, Rostelecom and MegaFon are preparing to accept digital ruble payments from September 1, as the country moves into the first mandatory stage of its central bank digital currency rollout.
According to a Vedomosti report, MTS, Rostelecom and MegaFon are among the major Russian companies preparing to add the digital ruble as a payment option from September 1. The rollout comes as Russia begins requiring eligible large businesses to accept the central bank digital currency.
MTS plans to make digital ruble payments available across services integrated with its MTS Pay payment module, without limiting the option to particular products or services.
Customers will be able to use the CBDC through the My MTS app and the company’s online store. The payment process will work similarly to Russia’s Faster Payments System, allowing customers to select a participating bank and approve the transaction through the bank’s interface.
Rostelecom starts with one-time payments
As per the report, Rostelecom is completing the technical integration with one of Russia’s largest banks, which it has not publicly identified. Initially, customers will be able to make one-time digital ruble payments through the company’s official website.
Recurring payments and automatic account top-ups will be introduced once the Bank of Russia’s digital ruble platform supports those functions, Rostelecom said.
MegaFon is also preparing to add digital ruble payments, while VimpelCom, which operates under the Beeline brand, declined to comment on its plans. Major marketplaces Wildberries and Ozon are also preparing to accept digital ruble payments.
Mandatory merchant rollout
The September 1 deadline marks a broader expansion of Russia’s CBDC infrastructure. Under Bank of Russia rules, merchants with annual revenue above 120 million rubles are required to offer digital ruble payments from that date if they meet the applicable banking and payment-acceptance conditions.
The digital ruble is issued by the Bank of Russia and operates on the central bank’s platform, while commercial banks provide customers with access through their banking applications. One digital ruble is equal in value to one conventional ruble.
The rollout is also expected to bring digital ruble functionality to the applications of 12 systemically important Russian banks, including Sber, T-Bank, VTB and Alfa-Bank. Customers will be able to access a digital ruble wallet through participating banks.
Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina said in July that Russia’s banking system and technological infrastructure were ready for wider digital ruble use. Systemically important banks and large retailers are expected to support CBDC payments as part of the expansion.
The central bank is also exploring smart contracts and new wallet models to broaden the digital ruble’s use beyond basic payments. The Bank of Russia is also planning a monthly limit of 300,000 rubles for digital wallet replenishments per bank.
What comes next
The September 1 expansion will provide a wider test of how consumers and businesses use Russia’s CBDC in everyday payments. Telecom operators, marketplaces and other large merchants will be among the first major commercial users as the country moves from a limited digital ruble rollout toward broader mandatory acceptance.
Further expansion will depend in part on the development of the Bank of Russia’s platform, particularly for features such as recurring payments and automatic account replenishment.
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