Digital Ruble: Features of Financial Legal Regulation

Abstract

The features of the financial legal regulation of the digital ruble are analyzed in the article. The author analyzes the key provisions of the Digital Ruble Concept proposed by the Bank of Russia, as well as the latest amendments to the legislation introduced at the end of July 2023, regulating the specifics of the legal regulation of the digital ruble. It is indicated that the allocation of the digital ruble as a separate form of money was carried out by the Bank of Russia in the economic aspect, the digital form of the Russian national currency by its legal nature refers to non-cash funds. The definitions of the concepts of "digital ruble", "digital currency" and "cryptocurrency" are analyzed in the article, their main features are highlighted. As a result of the study, the author has found that the digital form is common to the digital ruble, digital currencies and cryptocurrencies. The digital ruble is a Central Bank digital currency and cannot be classified as a digital currency. Unlike digital currencies, the digital ruble is legal tender on the territory of the Russian Federation and refers to fiat money. These essential features of the digital ruble make it possible to conclude that it is impossible to apply Federal Law No. 259-FZ of 31.07.2020 "On Digital Financial Assets, Digital Currency and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation" to the regulation of the digital ruble and on the implementation of legal regulation of the digital ruble mainly by the rules of financial legislation.