Russia Greenlights Regulated Crypto Market with Three Approved Tokens
The Central Bank of Russia has implemented regulatory measures to enable market participants to acquire digital currencies through licensed brokers, trading platforms, and investment management firms. These changes went into effect on September 1, 2026.
As a result, the Russian government is launching a regulated crypto market with an initial three approved tokens: Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and USDT. Sber, a major bank in Russia, plans to accept these assets as collateral for its cryptocurrency-backed loans once it receives authorization from the Bank of Russia.
While this development marks a significant step towards mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies in Russia, some details remain unclear, such as the specific rules governing the use of these approved tokens and the scope of Sber's lending program. The Central Bank of Russia has not provided further information on its plans for regulating the crypto market beyond implementing existing measures.