Bank of Russia weighs ruble stablecoin for cross-border settlements, Nabiullina says

The central bank governor said stablecoins are being considered only as a supplement to the digital ruble for cross-border use, while domestic payments remain a concern and state control stays central.

Summary

Bank of Russia governor Elvira Nabiullina said the central bank is considering stablecoins for cross-border settlements only as a supplement to the digital ruble, while remaining wary of their use in domestic settlements. She said the bank is discussing a state-controlled ruble-pegged stablecoin after proposing rules last week that would keep all stablecoin transactions under state control. The remarks underscore Russia's interest in using digital-asset structures for international payments while maintaining tight oversight at home.

Terms & Concepts
  • stablecoins: Tokens designed to track another asset's value
  • digital ruble: Russia's central bank digital currency
  • cross-border settlements: Payments or transfers conducted between parties in different countries