Sberbank Sets December Deadline for Russia Crypto Trading Launch

Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, has set a December 1 deadline to launch its cryptocurrency trading infrastructure and digital depository. The move comes as part of Russia's new crypto framework, which is expected to start on September 1, 2026. According to Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank's first deputy chairman, the bank plans to implement the necessary infrastructure and launch the digital depository by December 1, 2026.

The new framework allows qualified and non-qualified investors to purchase cryptocurrencies through regulated intermediaries. Non-qualified investors must pass a knowledge test before buying eligible cryptocurrencies, with a yearly limit of up to 300,000 rubles. Qualified investors will have access to a wider range of assets without the same annual limit.

Sberbank has been operating in Russia's regulated digital asset sector since joining the register of information system operators in 2022. The bank has issued digital financial assets and structured products linked to Bitcoin and Ethereum, among other cryptocurrencies.