OREANDA-NEWS  Users of the digital ruble are showing more interest in it than the Central Bank expected at the start, said Alla Bakina, director of the Department of the National Payment System of the Bank of Russia, at the XXIII International Banking Forum.

"I am glad that users, I mean both our citizens and business representatives ... are showing even more interest than we, frankly, expected at the start," she said about the digital ruble.

The digital ruble is a new form of national currency in addition to cash and non–cash forms. Its use is voluntary, and all operations for citizens are completely free, Bakina said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Starting from September 1, you can open a digital wallet in 12 banks covering more than 80% of the payment market. We are talking about Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, Alfa-Bank, T-Bank, PSB, Rosselkhoznadzor, "Unicredit Bank", Raiffeisenbank, Sovcombank, MKB and bank "Dom.Russian Federation". This opportunity will also be provided by several credit institutions recognized as significant in the payment services market.

So far, you can pay in digital rubles in large retail chains with annual revenue of more than 120 million rubles.