Russia's Regulated Crypto Market Set for Significant Volumes in First Year
Russia's regulated cryptocurrency market is expected to reach significant volumes in its first year. SberCIB Investment Research estimates that between 3.5 trillion and 4 trillion roubles will be handled through licensed exchanges, with roughly one-fifth of current activity migrating onto these platforms. This forecast was shared by Anatoly Popov, Deputy Chairman at Sberbank, who emphasized that annual regulated volumes might climb to about 7.5 trillion roubles by 2029.
The new regulatory framework comes into force on September 1st, 2026, allowing both qualified and non-qualified investors to trade approved cryptoassets through licensed intermediaries. The central bank has set up official registers for exchanges and digital depositories, with a transition period running until July 1st, 2027.
The proposed list of assets available for organised public trading includes Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether's USDT, selected based on market capitalisation, liquidity, and overseas price history. Non-qualified investors will face an annual purchase ceiling of 300,000 roubles per intermediary and must pass a knowledge test, while all investors will be subject to testing and risk disclosures.