PANews reported on May 18th, citing Bits.media, that Gazprom, a Russian state-owned enterprise, has required its 17 subsidiaries to open digital ruble accounts at the Central Bank of Russia. The company stated that this move is in preparation for legislation taking effect on September 1st, which requires legal entities to be able to accept digital rubles as a means of payment for goods and services. The Russian digital ruble has been under testing since August 2023, and by the end of 2025, more than 130 legal entity accounts have participated in the platform's testing. From September 1st, major Russian banks and large enterprises must provide customers with digital ruble transaction capabilities.