Belarus to Launch Digital Ruble by End of 2026
Belarus is preparing to officially launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, in the second half of next year. This was reported by National Bank chief Roman Golovchenko and reported by state-owned news agency Belta. The action is a significant step toward Belarus’ digital finance strategy, as there is a wider trend in the region toward state-backed digital currencies.
Top Priority: Safe and Trackable Digital Money
The digital ruble is a major priority for the National Bank of Belarus, Golovchenko reports. The priority number one is to ensure that digital money can be traced throughout its life cycle securely. The central bank refers to it as the “coloring” of money — a system to trace every transaction and flow of digital cash.
It is vitally essential to track where digital money goes through the whole chain,” Golovchenko said.
This traceability would make financial control tighter, reduce fraud, and improve transparency in government expenditures.
Rollout Timeline: Companies First, Public Later
Golovchenko identified three key tasks to fulfill before launch: creating a platform for the digital ruble, developing national software to govern the system, and building the regulatory and legal framework. The CBDC will enter commercial use by business companies in 2026, and government agencies and citizens in 2027.
Cross-Border Cooperation with Russia
Belarus is also collaborating closely with Russia on the potential integration and interoperability of CBDCs. The two countries are looking into ways digital money could facilitate easier cross-border payments and deepen regional financial collaboration.
Earlier this month, the Russian central bank announced that it would delay the full implementation of its own digital ruble until mid-2026, on account of technical issues faced by the involved banks. The simultaneous timelines point to the possibility of the two countries coordinating efforts towards an integrated digital finance environment.
As CBDCs progress faster in the rest of the world, Belarus’ progress points towards the growing relevance of sovereign digital currency in the future of money.
