The Bank of Russia expects to present a prototype platform for the digital ruble by the end of 2021 and start testing a new form of currency in 2022, after finalising the solution. This was reported by the Prime agency with reference to the deputy chairman of the regulator Alexei Zabotkin.

According to him, the prototype will be a technological platform, "within which it will not be possible to make real transactions yet."

The Central Bank presented the concept of the digital ruble in October 2020. It is assumed that this will be an additional form of the national currency, which will be issued by the Central Bank in digital form and will combine the properties of cash and non-cash rubles.

In early February, it became known that the preparation of amendments to the legislation for the introduction of the digital ruble is planned to begin in the second half of 2021.

After that, telecom operators announced their interest in introducing wallets for digital rubles on smart devices and in creating additional services for the third form of the national currency.

Digital Ruble report by Bank of Russia (in Russian)

Original (in Russian)