Sberbank to launch crypto trading platform and digital depository by Dec 2026

Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, announced plans to build a regulated crypto trading infrastructure and a digital depository, with a target completion date of 1 December 2026. The platform will support trading, custody and settlement of digital assets, registering clients' rights and processing most transactions off‑chain via active wallets that move funds between the banking system and blockchain addresses.

The initiative aligns with a new Russian cryptocurrency regulatory framework that the parliament approved in July and that will come into force on 1 September 2026 under the supervision of the Bank of Russia. The rules set licensing deadlines for market participants and differentiate between qualified and non‑qualified investors, imposing a 300,000‑ruble annual purchase limit for the latter. Sberbank's first deputy chairman, Alexander Vedyakhin, said the digital depository will record ownership and off‑chain transfers, allowing the bank to offer secure custodial and brokerage services to both institutional and retail clients.