Deep Tide TechFlow news, on December 31, reported by Bitcoin.com, the Russian State Duma has proposed a bill aimed at mandating banks and merchants to use the Central Bank of Russia's digital currency (CBDC) — the digital ruble, while implementing a universal QR code payment system. This legislation has been officially submitted to the lower house's electronic database with the push from a group of senators and deputies, including Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the Duma's Financial Market Committee.
The proposal outlines a phased rollout of the digital ruble, starting on July 1, 2025, with implementation in systemically important banks, and expanding to all banks by 2027. Merchants must also accept the digital ruble to encourage public usage. By July 2025, businesses with annual revenues exceeding 30 million rubles must enable digital ruble payments, and by July 2026, the threshold will be lowered to 20 million rubles. In areas without mobile or internet access, businesses may be exempt from implementation.
The bill aligns with the universal QR code system to simplify payments and enable seamless use of the digital ruble. Amendments to the Consumer Protection Law stipulate that merchants must comply to ensure broader adoption.