Sberbank Aims for Crypto Trading Infrastructure by Year-End

Russia's largest bank Sberbank is planning to launch crypto trading infrastructure and a digital depository by December 1st as part of its efforts to bring cryptocurrency trading, custody, and settlement into Russia's regulated financial system.

The move follows the approval of a law regulating cryptocurrency trading through licensed brokers, exchanges, asset managers, and depositories. The framework is set to take effect on September 1st, though rules requiring transactions to pass through licensed intermediaries will apply from July 2027.

Public crypto trading will be limited to assets meeting strict liquidity and market cap thresholds, including an average market capitalization above 5 trillion rubles ($64 billion) and an average daily volume above 1 trillion rubles ($12.8 billion) over two years.