Stores in Russia without internet will not accept payments in digital rubles

Representatives of the Bank of Russia have announced that retail points without internet connectivity will not be required to accept payments via the digital ruble. This is reported by the Bits.media portal.

Currently, there is a development of a draft law that will amend the laws "On the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia)" and "On the National Payment System" — it establishes rules for the use of the digital ruble as a means of payment.

"If the payment location for goods (work, services) is in an area where mobile radio telephone services and (or) collective access to the information and telecommunications network Internet are not provided, the seller (contractor, aggregator owner) is exempt from the obligation to ensure the possibility of paying for goods (work, services) by transferring digital rubles in that location," the draft law states.

Previously, the Central Bank had mentioned more than once that soon Russians would be able to pay with the digital ruble in stores without internet connectivity. However, no timeline for the implementation of such technology is currently known.