Public sector employees in Russia may start receiving salaries in digital rubles

From January 1, 2026, public sector workers in Russia may begin receiving salaries in the digital ruble. This was announced by the head of the State Duma Committee on Property Issues, Sergei Gavrilov, writes RBC.

This opportunity will appear within the framework of the implementation of the law on digital currency, which was adopted earlier in 2025. According to him, the country expects to modernize the treasury payment system, while the payments themselves will be made to the usual bank accounts. Russians will hardly notice any changes in the payment of salaries. At the same time, the transition to the digital ruble should ensure an increase in the speed of transactions and enhance the transparency of budget operations. Gavrilov also emphasized the need for preliminary preparation.

“We need to work out the technological aspects in advance - how exactly the accrual will take place, how access to the digital ruble account is provided, whether it can be converted into regular money and where this tool will be applicable,” Gavrilov noted.

Full implementation of salary payments through the digital ruble will be possible only after the completion of technical preparations by government agencies, the Federal Treasury and the Central Bank, which will have to develop uniform rules for handling the new type of money.

Earlier, the head of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, Alexey Chekunkov, stated that excess natural gas in Russia, remaining after the reduction of supplies to Europe, could be used to extract digital assets.