Odaily Planet Daily News Russia is expected to start testing its digital ruble within a few weeks. A bill giving legal powers to a central bank digital currency (CBDC) passed Russia’s top legislative body, the Federation Council, on Wednesday, but still needs Russian President Vladimir Putin’s signature to take effect. If the bill is signed by Putin, testing of the digital ruble will begin on August 1. If the bill is passed, Russia will become one of the largest CBDC adopters globally to date. The Central Bank of Russia will be authorized to serve as a platform operator for the digital ruble. The bill also provides legal definitions for users and regulates how bank accounts operate. (Decrypt) According to previous reports, the Russian Central Bank will begin piloting the digital ruble for real customers in August.