The Russian State Bank VTB and the development company PIK held the first real estate deal using digital rubles to calculate. The VTB client booked an apartment in the New Ochakovo residential complex in Moscow, paying for the digital currency of the Russian Central Bank.

Previously, the buyer and developer received the approval of the Bank of Russia for calculations in digital currency and opened accounts on the platform of the Digital ruble of the Central Bank through the VTB online service.

After the client chose the apartment, he used the QR code to pay for the reservation in the VTB mobile application. The State Bank called the first purchase of real estate using a digital ruble an important step to create a safe and effective financial infrastructure.

According to the Deputy President – the Chairman of the Board of VTB Alexander Pakhomov, transactions with a digital ruble will help increase the transparency of calculations, the development of new financial services and reduce transaction costs.

Earlier, experts of the National Rating Agency (NRA) said that the introduction of a digital ruble by 2031 would provide the Russian economy up to 260 billion rubles annually. Six months ago, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation said that the business is not ready to switch to a digital ruble. The Central Bank postponed the start of the widespread use of digital currency for the year, until the summer of 2026.