The pilot project with real money will start in the near future. Participants in the focus group, formed from among the bank's employees, will have access to operations for opening digital ruble accounts in real time, transfers between individuals, and payment for goods and services with digital rubles in the usual way — via QR code transfers — in the VTB Online application. It will also be possible to use smart contracts with the digital ruble for individuals.
«In addition to new opportunities for managing corporate and personal finances, the introduction of digital currency is a qualitative shift in the field of global payments. We are on the verge of creating an international decentralized system of payments in digital currencies, in which there will be no monopolists, and we are very pleased to be at the forefront of these processes. By participating in the digital ruble pilot, we get the opportunity to be the first to see all the advantages of using digital currencies and offer our clients new banking products and services on a completely new technological platform. At the same time, as part of the pilot project, we will be able to give feedback to the Bank of Russia and thus influence the formation of the landscape of the future payment space,» said Vadim Kulik.
Today, there is a need to create a new trusted payment space where transaction transfer, programming, and information management are linked into a single, secure unit. The digital ruble platform will provide new opportunities for creating self-executing transactions. A secure environment for programming smart contracts will appear.
The use of smart contracts on the digital ruble platform will ensure transparency of payments, as well as the ability to flexibly manage balances in your digital wallets. At this stage, individuals will be able to use autopayments in digital rubles, pre-assigning the date, amount, and recipient of the transfer. As it develops, other possibilities for self-executing transactions with the digital ruble will become available.
At the first stage of the pilot project, individuals — participants in the VTB focus group — will be able to pay for the services of project partners with digital rubles. For example, the Moscow Metro will begin testing the sale of souvenir "Troyka" cards and cards with a "Wallet" ticket balance for digital rubles.