According to Odaily Planet Daily, Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the Financial Market Committee of the Russian State Duma, said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that central bank digital currency (CBDC) will be popular within five years and will be used as a norm for international payments. He also revealed that Russia may start using the digital ruble for international transactions in the second half of 2025, but it will first need to be tested domestically and widely implemented, including the use of legal entities. Aksakov also suggested testing budget financing with smart contracts as soon as possible. He also mentioned that preliminary testing of CBDC international transactions may involve China or Belarus, as the two countries are technically close and have friendly relations.