Wit -Russia promotes plans to introduce its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). According to national bank chairman, Roman Golovchenko, the digital rubles are expected to enter the full circulation through the second half of 2026, as reported by the state outlet of the state Belta.
Golovchenko emphasized that the development of the digital rubles is a top priority for the central bank and insisted that the safety and traceability of funds are of maximum importance. He described this as the “color” of money, so that the state could check the movement of digital assets throughout the financial system.
The route map for the digital rubles comprises three important phases: designing platform architecture, developing its own software and setting up a regulatory framework to arrange their operation.
The rollout will start with companies in 2026, followed by government entities and the general public in 2027. Golovchenko noted that the digital rubles have in mind to play an important role in cross-border payments, in which Belarus works closely in addition to Russia, which also pursues its own CBDC initiative.
Earlier this year, the Belarusian Center for Banking Technologies initiated the development of the Digital Ruble platform and selected the Open Source Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain as the basis. This strategic choice comes white -Russia with a wider trend at central banks, including Russia and Brazil, which use hyperledger technology for their CBDC projects. The first focus of the platform is on the core functionality, with plans to extend to a broader range of financial services.
CBDC initiative draws up independent financial channels
White -Russia ‘push to a digital rubles is partially powered by the need to adapt to the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies and the impact of international sanctions. By introducing a CBDC, countries such as Wit -Russia and Russia can establish independent financial channels and reduce their exposure to external economic pressure.
The digital rubles are intended as a supplement to existing cash and electronic forms of the Belarusian rubles, which provides an extra layer of the digital currency issued by the State.
At the same time, Russia has confronted delays in his own digital rubles. CryptoSlate recently reported that the Central Bank in Russia postponed the full launch of its CBDC, which extended the pilot phase for an indefinite period of time due to technical and operational challenges.
The Russian pilot, who started with 12 participating banks in August 2023, focused on making wallets, transfers and automated payments, but came across obstacles that led the central bank to give a priority to further refinement before massive adoption.
White -Russia ‘dedication to digital innovation is not new. In 2018, the country adopted an extensive legal framework for cryptocurrencies, introduced streamlined accounting standards and facilitate crypto transactions for companies. This regulating groundwork has positioned white -Russia as one of the more progressive countries in the region with regard to digital assets.
