VTB and T-Bank say digital ruble payments remain limited after first month

Digital ruble transactions still represent a small share of payments after the first month of wider implementation, VTB and T-Bank told RIA Novosti on October 10. Banks identified supermarkets and online marketplaces among common payment destinations.

VTB said customers opened several tens of thousands of accounts in September. Magnit, online marketplaces and Mosenergosbyt featured among its five most popular shops and services for payments. The bank did not provide a precise transaction share.

T-Bank customers have opened more than 50,000 digital ruble accounts. The bank reported several tens of thousands of transactions in the first month, including transfers and wallet funding. Funding an account was the most common action, while the average transaction amount remained low.

Bank of Russia deputy governor Zulfiya Kakhrumanova previously reported 220,000 accounts opened during the first month across the system. That figure measures account openings rather than purchases.

The digital ruble complements cash and conventional non-cash forms of the national currency. The Bank of Russia confirms that use by individuals is voluntary and that their payments and transfers are free. Wider implementation began on September 1, 2026.