Experimental operations with the digital ruble are mainly taking place on Android as the “most popular and loyal” platform. Representatives of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation reported this in a conversation with Kommersant.
Meanwhile, iOS device users face problems as Apple regularly blocks apps from sanctioned banks.
“The pilot is currently testing operations on smartphones with different operating systems, both Android and iOS,” the central bank assured.
According to a representative of the Central Bank, access to digital ruble wallets is temporarily provided only through mobile applications of banks that are participating in testing the technology.
One of the publication’s interlocutors said that “testing” CBDC on one operating system is easier and cheaper.
Only one unnamed participating bank confirmed information about working on the iOS platform.
“We tested our digital ruble solutions on both the iOS and Android platforms. The functionality of these solutions does not depend on the platform,” the representative of the institution emphasized.
The digital ruble pilot started on August 15. 13 banks took part in it: Alfa-Bank, Dom.rf, Ingosstrakh Bank, VTB, Gazprombank, Qiwi Bank, Ak Bars Bank, MTS Bank, Promsvyazbank, Sovcombank, Sinara Bank, Rosbank and TKB Bank.
VTB and Sinara Bank noted that more than 70% of their clients use Android smartphones, so they conducted tests on this platform.
According to Promsvyazbank, since the launch of testing, participants in the pilot group have opened more than 40 digital accounts and successfully completed several thousand transactions.
The digital ruble supports interbank transfers and payments via QR code, similar to SBP.
Let us remind you that the law on national cryptocurrency came into force on August 1. Citizens of the Russian Federation will have the opportunity to massively use the new means of payment in 2025–2027.
In September, the Russian Ministry of Finance clarified the accounting procedure for transactions with CBDC.
Later, banks estimated the costs of introducing a digital ruble. According to Rosbank estimates, the institution will require additional investments of 150 million rubles.
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