Russia Unveils Draft Regulations for Regulated Crypto Trading

Russia has published its first draft regulations for organized trading in cryptocurrencies and digital rights, giving financial institutions a clearer view of how the country's regulated crypto market may operate.

The Bank of Russia has proposed rules that would require exchanges to publish standardized prices and report market information to the central bank. Exchanges would also calculate and publish a market price and a volume-weighted average price for every admitted cryptocurrency or digital right, giving brokers, custodians, and investors a common reference point for valuing positions.

The regulations also cover capital requirements for specialized custodians, which face minimum capital rules ranging from $640,000 to $3.2 million depending on the level of risk. The drafts put Russia's new crypto law into practice, which is scheduled to begin taking effect on September 1, 2026.

The framework places licensed intermediaries at every major stage, including exchanges organizing trading and custodians recording ownership. This structure could make crypto easier to access through banks and regulated brokers while providing clearer records and standardized prices.