according to the materials of the site - By Coindoo.com
Instead of releasing its own wallet software, the Bank of Russia decided that the digital ruble would exist in commercial bank applications. Officials argue that people are already using these platforms, so the introduction of a new interface may slow the implementation process rather than speed it up.
However, this logic is not to everyone's liking. Critics argue that conducting transactions through existing channels means that banks remain intermediaries — along with their fees. If the national digital currency is supposed to optimize payments, skeptics ask, why tie it to institutions that profit from transactions?
The central bank acknowledged that transfers through banks can be conducted under the same conditions as today, hinting that convenience may have its price — in the literal sense.
Another misconception that is being debunked is that the digital ruble can behave like a savings instrument. Officials have made it clear that it will not yield income. It is positioned as a transactional form of the ruble, rather than as a means of accumulating wealth or protection against inflation.
This clarification has only fueled questions about why consumers should give up existing options if the new version works exactly the same way — without interest and without additional independence.
Although the central bank positions the project as an upgrade to the Russian monetary and credit infrastructure, economic and banking figures openly doubt the feasibility of these efforts. Sberbank CEO Herman Gref stated earlier this year that he finds it difficult to see real benefits. Elvira Nabiullina soon supported this view, calling the value proposition still unclear.
Surveys reflect this uncertainty. Almost half of respondents in one survey viewed the digital ruble primarily as a surveillance mechanism rather than a financial innovation — an opinion that the Ministry of Finance tried, but failed to dispel.
Despite the lack of consensus, development continued, partly due to President Vladimir Putin's call for widespread implementation. Testing has been conducted for several years, although full implementation for consumers has been postponed to give banks more time to adapt.
According to the updated schedule from the central bank, the digital ruble will be gradually introduced into circulation starting in September 2026. Whether citizens will accept it or reject it will depend on whether the government can prove that it is useful not only from a political standpoint.
