Catenaa, Wednesday, July 09, 2025-Russian defense conglomerate Rostec has launched plans to introduce a ruble-pegged stablecoin, RUBx, on the Tron blockchain to bypass Western banking restrictions, according to a company announcement.
The initiative, paired with its crypto-based RT-Pay platform, aims to enable digital transactions without relying on the global SWIFT network.
RUBx is backed 1:1 by ruble-denominated assets and will be legally supported under Russian regulatory frameworks, including central bank oversight and anti-money laundering measures. Deputy General Director Alexander Nazarov said Rostec intends to roll out the system by year’s end, with the company as its primary operator.
The launch comes amid long-standing U.S. and EU sanctions on Rostec and affiliated entities following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Western measures have sought to cripple Russia’s military-industrial base by restricting access to global banking and trade systems.
Observers view RUBx as a direct move to establish financial autonomy. The RT-Pay system will integrate with Russia’s domestic banking network while supporting external wallets and smart contracts. The token’s codebase will be made public on GitHub and audited by CertiK.
Russia’s embrace of crypto-backed trade is accelerating. The Russian Agricultural Bank is exploring blockchain payments for grain exports. In the energy sector, Gazprom and Rostelecom have issued blockchain-based financial instruments, while prior oil deals with China and India used crypto assets like Bitcoin and Tether.
The Central Bank of Russia has since issued new rules allowing digital currencies in foreign trade, provided they are not linked to sanctioned issuers or hostile jurisdictions.
