Russian Regime Launches Digital Ruble While Capping Bitcoin Payments

Russia has officially launched its central bank digital currency for payments, while maintaining strict limits on Bitcoin usage within its borders.

According to a report from state news agency Tass cited by Bitcoin Magazine, the digital ruble became available for transactions on September 1. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin framed the rollout as part of developing a “convenient, fast, and independent payment infrastructure.”

This move occurs alongside a new law regulating digital assets, signed by President Vladimir Putin in August. The law permits the circulation of cryptocurrencies but imposes significant restrictions. Retail investors are capped at using 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,556) per year to trade liquid cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, while qualified investors face no limits. Using any cryptocurrency as a payment method remains illegal.

The policy highlights the Kremlin’s dual-track approach: promoting its own centralized digital currency while heavily regulating decentralized alternatives. Despite Putin’s past acknowledgment that “nobody” can ban technologies like Bitcoin, his government maintains tight control over its domestic use, even as entities reportedly use it for cross-border trade to circumvent sanctions.