According to the SSC, with trade between the two countries amounting to US$960m in 2010, Russia was Tajikistan's primary trading partner. Trade with Russia rose by 6.9% year on year and accounted for one-quarter of total trade turnover for the year. Trade with Russia included imports by Tajikistan of fuel, foodstuffs, technical and industrial goods and ferrous metals, with total imports reaching US$857.6m. Exports to Russia were mainly comprised of fruit, vegetables and textiles, amounting to US$102.2m for the year. The next leading trade partners were China (with turnover of US$685.1m, or 17.8% of total trade turnover), Turkey (US$438.6m, or 11.4% of the total) and Kazakhstan (US$312.8m, or 8.1% of the total).

In January 2011 the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT, the central bank) expressed a desire for trade with Russia to be conducted in Russian roubles-possibly in response to a request from the Russian government. As a result, the NBT began the purchase of roubles from Tajik commercial banks in order to settle future accounts with Russian trading partners. The NBT had already purchased Rb17bn (US$600m) from Tajik commercial banks in 2010, including Rb4bn in cash. The NBT's argument in favour of switching to roubles is the savings that will be generated, as it currently increases transaction costs for Tajik and Russian businesses to convert their national currencies into US dollars or euro in order to settle their bills.