Russia’s Digital Ruble Will Undercut Own MIR Card System, Says Freedom Finance Analyst

• Analyst warns digital ruble will slow Russian card market growth by 7-9% annually.
• Central bank CBDC has been operational for government agencies since January 1, 2026.
• MIR card system holds 80% payment share but faces blockchain competition ahead.

Russia’s central bank digital currency poses a threat to the country’s domestic payment card infrastructure, according to an analyst at Freedom Finance Global. According to sources, the analyst Natalia Milchakova stated that the digital ruble will become a “serious competitor” to traditional financial payment systems like the MIR card.

The digital ruble launch will slow the growth of the Russian bank card market by 7% to 9% per year, Milchakova predicted. Russian firms issued around 475 million cards last year with a year-on-year growth rate of 17%. The central bank plans to roll out the digital ruble nationwide in Septe…

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