Sberbank Unveils Crypto Trading Platform as Russia Cracks Down on Digital Assets

Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, is gearing up to launch its cryptocurrency trading and custody platform by December 1st. The move comes as the country establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.

The new system will feature a digital depository that records customers' crypto ownership on internal ledgers while settling most transactions outside the main blockchain. Sberbank will manage active wallets for customer deposits, withdrawals, and transfers.

Russia's digital asset framework is set to take effect on September 1st, 2026, with full licensing requirements for intermediaries beginning on July 1st, 2027. The legislation creates five categories of regulated market participants, including exchanges, brokers, custodians, asset managers, and exchange service providers.

The platform will support only larger, more liquid cryptocurrencies that meet minimum liquidity requirements, which include an average market capitalization above 5 trillion roubles (approximately $64 billion) and average daily trading volumes exceeding 1 trillion roubles ($12.8 billion), measured over two years.