Trends

How employees turned into digital investors

In 2023, Nornickel introduced a long-term incentive program allowing staff members who have been with the company for more than a year to become holders of digital financial assets. As of May 2025, more than 65,000 employees joined the program.
The company supplied the employees with the funds to purchase the digital financial assets (DFAs). Not only senior executives, as is typically the case with long-term financial incentive programs, but all employees, including industrial workers, specialists, and engineers, are involved in the project.

Nornickel's DFAs are known as minetokens. The value of one minetoken is equivalent to the value of 100 company shares at the time of issuance and redemption. An employee's length of service determines how many DFAs they receive; the longer they have worked, the more DFAs they are allowed to hold.

As part of the first module, over 65,000 Nornickel employees have become token holders by May 2025, showcasing the fast growth of "The Digital Investor" program. More than 50,000 DFA holders have received payments similar to the company's dividends for the past year.

What is DFA?

A digital financial asset is a digital right to receive monetary payments in accordance with the terms of the program under which the digital financial asset was issued. Digital financial assets utilize blockchain technology, which records and stores digital information in a way that prevents it from being forged, deleted, or changed.

DFA is a financial instrument recognized by the Russian legal system. The platforms for trading digital financial assets are regulated by Russia's Central Bank and are immune to geopolitical risks.

The benefits of "The Digital Investor" program

There are no comparable projects in Russia. At its core, it is an investment mechanism, which means putting money into something with the hope of future revenue. As program participants, employees can try their hand at investing in digital financial assets linked to the value of Nornickel shares without investing their own money. All funding for the purchase of DFAs comes from the employer.
"The Digital Investor" program is
unprecedented for Nornickel employees and the country in general.
Such products are normally reserved for a select group of executives. The program's innovation lies in its accessibility: every Nornickel employee is eligible to participate.

"The Digital Investor" is a loyalty program that helps all employees feel connected to Nornickel's ambitious mission. As they work hard day in and day out to help the cause of a large company, they can see how their efforts impact the company's overall capitalization, growth, and investor value.

How it works

The only thing an employee needs to do to join "The Digital Investor" program is to submit an application.

The project's first module linked to the length of service was launched in 2023. In this module, people who had been with the company for more than a year were eligible to get minetokens. The longer an employee had been with Nornickel, the more DFAs they received. In 2024, employees who had been with the company for at least a year by January 2024 were eligible to participate in the program.

To commemorate Nornickel's 90th anniversary, the Jubilee module was launched in 2025. Even employees who had joined the company recently were permitted to participate in the program and receive tokens.

How the duration of employment is related to the number of DFAs

Length of service Number of DFAs received
Less than 1 year 4
1–4 years 6
5–9 years 8
10–14 years 10
15–19 years 12
20 or more years 14

 
In June 2024, DFA trading restrictions were lifted for Nornickel employees who were among the first to obtain digital financial assets, also known as minetokens. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the program, after a year of ownership, holders may sell and buy digital financial assets on the platform independently. Any participant may buy an asset that has been put up for sale.

The duration of "The Digital Investor" program is 5 years. At the end of this period, digital financial assets will be automatically sold back to the issuer, and employees will collect the full value of their assets credited to their accounts.

Results for the past three years

As of May 2025, more than 65,000 employees have taken part in "The Digital Investor" program.

A survey of employees who became DFA holders found that:

  • 87% of employees believe that the program is a significant advantage that makes the company attractive as an employer;
  • 85% are convinced that investments improve their productivity.

Nornickel's initiative has received several prestigious HR awards. In 2024, the program won Intercomm's "Dream Job" nomination and the "Employee Potential" nomination sponsored by "The Company of the Future" magazine. In 2025, "The Digital Investor" was among the top three in the ESG category at HR Impact's awards.
ANNA BASNEVA,
Head of Nornickel's HR Department:

"'The Digital Investor' program holds great potential. When we first started, it was difficult to explain to an average miner what DFA is. Employees were suspicious of digital assets.

We launched an awareness campaign – that included training, email newsletters, posters, brochures, and a separate website. Employees now fully understand the program's benefits and are satisfied that it is a serious and long-term commitment rather than a one-time thing. When we announced the launch of the Jubilee module, it sparked interest, and people approached us with queries.

The program's popularity is the biggest compliment we can receive. After all, no other Russian employer offers such an effective employee incentive and growth tool."
Photos by Nornickel

May, 2025
2025-06-03 13:06 Governance Russia Trends