Russia Limits Retail Crypto Purchases to Top Three Assets
Russia's crypto market has been significantly restricted for retail investors. Under a new regulation set to take effect around September 1, 2026, non-qualified investors will only be allowed to purchase three digital assets: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether's USDT.
The Bank of Russia published a draft directive on August 11, 2026, which names the three approved cryptocurrencies for retail trading. The whitelist criteria require two years of qualifying market cap and trading volume, as well as five years of price history on a licensed foreign exchange.
The regulation also introduces an annual crypto purchase limit of 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,630-$3,650) per year per broker for non-qualified investors. Qualified investors, however, are exempt from this cap and can trade cryptocurrencies without restrictions.