In brief
During a currency‑policy council meeting, Roman Golovchenko revealed that Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia have increased the use of their own currencies in trade, reaching 93.5 %. The shift, driven by market forces, is said to cut transaction costs and currency risk for the bloc, while the council also discussed economic conditions, digital currencies and payment security.
In a meeting held in Minsk on October 30, Russian‑warehouse‑chaser and president of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, Roman Golovchenko, announced that payments for goods and services exchanged within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) are now conducted in national currencies 93.5 % of the time.
Speaking to the advisory council on currency policy of the EAEU member states’ central banks, Golovchenko said the shift is occurring naturally through market mechanisms, with businesses favoring reliable, predictable payment instruments without administrative coercion. He added that expanding settlements in national currencies helps reduce transaction costs and currency risks across the bloc.
The council’s agenda also covered the current economic situation, monetary policy, measures to curb unauthorized payments, and the potential use and regulation of central bank digital currencies and virtual assets within the union.
The EAEU, established in 2015, comprises Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia.