Odaily Planet Daily News Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Financial Market Committee, said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 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. He also suggested testing budget financing with smart contracts as soon as possible. Aksakov also mentioned that preliminary testing of CBDC international transactions may involve China or Belarus because the two countries are technologically close and have friendly relations. (CryptoSlate)