PANews reported on November 14 that according to Bitcoin.com, Herman Gref, CEO of Sberbank, said that current laws prohibit the use of cryptocurrencies as a payment method in Russia and it is unlikely to be allowed in the near future.

Gref clarified at a conference in Moscow that while Russia's new legislation allows the use of digital currencies and cryptocurrencies for international payments, their use in the country is still restricted. He also pointed out that the Russian central bank digital currency (CBDC) - the digital ruble - could be used for global transactions if other countries are willing to accept it.