Wildberries and Ozon Adopt Digital Ruble Payments Ahead of CBDC Launch
Russia's two largest e-commerce platforms, Wildberries and Ozon, are set to introduce digital ruble payments in the coming weeks. This move coincides with Moscow's preparations to enforce a new crypto law and begin introducing its state-issued coin starting from September.
The news comes as part of Russia's plan to launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC) system, which has been under development for several years. The original plan was to open the platform for public use in 2025, but the launch was postponed to give companies and financial institutions more time to prepare.
Large retail chains with annual revenues exceeding 120 million rubles ($1.5 million) are expected to be ready to accept digital rubles on September 1, 2026, while smaller banks and retailers will have another year to do so.