ChainCatcher News, the Russian Ministry of Industry has called for a postponement of the launch of digital ruble payments, emphasizing insufficient infrastructure readiness. The ministry expressed concerns about the challenges businesses may face in meeting the 2025 deadline, which requires large retailers to accept Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) payments. The ministry believes that a hasty transition due to inadequate preparation could harm business operations.

The proposed legislation requires large retailers to adopt digital ruble payments by July 2025, while the deadline for small businesses will be later, depending on their annual revenue.

The Ministry suggested postponing this by two years to allow businesses sufficient time to complete operational guidelines, upgrade software, and train employees.