PANews reported on June 20 that according to Bitcoin.com, Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the Financial Market Committee of the Russian State Duma, said on June 18 that the large-scale application of the digital ruble is now scheduled for 2026. The launch plan originally scheduled for July 1, 2025 was postponed because financial institutions needed more time to improve the infrastructure. Since the launch of the pilot in August 2023, it has expanded to 15 banks, about 2,000 individuals and 50 companies, and has processed more than 55,000 personal transfers and 15,000 commodity payments. The Russian Central Bank emphasized that the digital ruble is completely voluntary and will not cancel cash or non-cash payment forms.