Russia Introduces Regulated Intermediaries for Cryptocurrency Owners

Cryptocurrency owners in Russia will face new rules starting September 1, 2026. According to Bitbanker's Director of Strategic Communications Kirill Komalenkov, simply owning digital assets is not prohibited.

The main innovation is the introduction of regulated intermediaries, with different conditions for qualified and non-qualified investors. Non-qualified investors will only have access to liquid assets that can be quickly sold, and their purchases are limited to 300,000 rubles per year with each intermediary.

Qualified investors, on the other hand, have no limit on transaction volume but still need to pass a test. Komalenkov notes that the state does not prohibit Russians from investing in cryptocurrency, but integrates operations with it into a regulated financial framework.