The Bank of Russia is facing challenges transitioning banks towards the digital ruble launch, pushing back the timeline to mid-2026. The delay stems from difficulties integrating with foreign software amid sanctions and technical migration hurdles faced by participating banks. According to a report from Frank Media, citing unnamed banking executives, the central bank’s original plan for July 2023 was abandoned, and now the full launch is expected in mid-2026. While officials confirm the pilot program continues, sources reveal that banks struggle with migration from foreign database solutions, particularly Oracle systems, leading to delays. Despite these setbacks, technical functionality is reportedly working well according to a central bank official who spoke at a Russian economic forum in April 2023. The number of pilot participants has grown considerably: individual users have increased from 500 to 2,000 and businesses from 30 to 50.