Expert RA: Digital Ruble Benefits Business and State, Not Consumers

• —Chekurova says cashless payments already satisfy Russians, so digital ruble demand will be low
• —From 2027, accepting digital rubles will cost businesses 0.3% versus 1.5–2.5% for card acquiring
• —87,000 accounts and more than 50,000 transactions were recorded in the first ten days
• —Duma finance committee head Aksakov expects only up to 3% of account holders to use it by 2027