The article is devoted to the study of the genesis of the institute of digital currencies issued by central banks, motives and key stages of launching projects for their implementation. The article analyzes the cases of foreign countries in the field of launching their national digital currencies, compares approaches to the legal regulation of digital currencies of central banks and their types. Also, the possibilities for the cross-border use of CBDC and other digital tools in the context of current sanctions restrictions are explored. The article analyzes in detail the legal essence of digital currencies of central banks, and particularly the digital ruble, as well as the features of the legal technique of legislative acts regulating public relations in the field of introduction and circulation of the digital ruble.