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4 clusters · 14 sources · 28 days · First seen · Last updated

Bank of Russia cryptocurrency regulation

Overview

The Bank of Russia is establishing a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and digital assets under Federal Law No. 282-FZ, “On Digital Currencies and Digital Rights.” To operationalize the system, the central bank is developing 27 subordinate legislative acts, several of which have already been submitted to the Justice Ministry for registration. Operations are expected to potentially begin before the end of 2026.

The framework distinguishes between investor types. Non-qualified investors are restricted to purchasing specific highly liquid assets, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, with an annual cap of 300,000 rubles per intermediary. Qualified investors face fewer restrictions. While digital assets are permitted for cross-border settlements in foreign trade, their use for domestic payments remains prohibited.

New guidance has introduced stricter controls on asset movement and trading. The transfer of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, to non-custodial or self-custody wallets is prohibited. Additionally, peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency trading between individuals will be illegal after July 1, 2027, requiring residents to use state-supervised intermediaries like licensed brokers. Crypto lending is also restricted to licensed brokers, trustees, and clearing houses.

Authorities are also targeting arbitrage schemes involving the stablecoin Tether (USDT). Traders have been acquiring Tether in neighboring Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, such as Belarus or Kyrgyzstan, and selling it for cash at a premium within Russia. While technically legal, monetary authorities view this as a high risk for money laundering. To ensure financial stability, the Bank of Russia has proposed a 1% risk limit on total exposure to cryptocurrencies relative to a bank's capital.

Entities

Bank of Russia · Sberbank · Vladimir Chistyukhin · Vladimir Putin · Justice Ministry

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bank of Russia targets self-hosted wallets and Tether arbitrage

    The Bank of Russia plans to ban self-hosted crypto wallet transactions by July 2027 and is currently cracking down on Tether arbitrage schemes used to bypass financial restrictions.

  2. [BUSINESS] 7 sources
    Bank of Russia restricts self-custody wallet transfers and P2P crypto trading

    The Bank of Russia has announced that transfers to self-custody wallets and peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading will be prohibited under new regulations, effective July 1, 2027.

  3. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bank of Russia to launch regulated cryptocurrency market

    The Bank of Russia is developing a legal framework for cryptocurrency, aiming for market operations by late 2026 with specific limits for retail investors and provisions for cross-border trade.

  4. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bank of Russia proposes 1% crypto risk limit for banks

    The Bank of Russia has proposed capping banks' total risk from cryptocurrencies and digital instruments at 1% of their capital to standardize risk measurement and oversight.

Sources

bittimes.net · blocktempo.com · coincu.com · coindeskjapan.com · comparic.pl · crypto.news · cryptopolitan.com · decrypt.co · finbold.com · it-boltwise.de · journalducoin.com · livebitcoinnews.com · news.trijo.co · tekedia.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history