Moscow Exchange Launches Crypto Perpetual Futures Lineup for Qualified Investors

Moscow Exchange, Russia's largest stock exchange, is set to launch its crypto perpetual futures lineup on September 22, 2026. The new product will cover five major tokens: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, and TRON (TRX). This marks one of the most ambitious moves yet by a state-linked exchange to bring crypto trading inside a regulated wrapper.

The perpetual futures contracts won't be open to everyone. Trading is restricted to qualified investors, a designation under Russian securities law that typically applies to institutions and individuals meeting certain wealth, income, or experience thresholds. This gatekeeping mirrors the exchange's approach to its earlier crypto futures products and signals a cautious, controlled rollout.

The mechanics behind these contracts are designed to keep actual cryptocurrency out of the equation entirely. Prices will be quoted in U.S. dollars, but every gain or loss settles in Russian rubles, meaning traders never hold or exchange BTC, ETH, or any of the other underlying tokens.