BANK OF RUSSIA EXPANDS REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR DIGITAL CURRENCY TRADING

In brief: 

₿- Regulators are integrating digital currencies into trading infrastructure, introducing standardized pricing, reporting, and market oversight for crypto assets.

₿- Russia establishes digital depositories and stricter crypto market rules, strengthening institutional participation.

The Bank of Russia has introduced a new set of regulatory changes that formally integrate digital currencies into the country’s organized trading framework. The updated rules require trading platforms and other market participants to incorporate digital assets into their existing pricing, monitoring, and reporting systems, marking another significant step toward building a regulated cryptocurrency market in Russia.

Rather than creating an entirely separate infrastructure, the central bank is requiring organizations to process digital currencies using many of the same operational standards already applied to traditional financial instruments, including securities and foreign currencies. The move comes as Russian lawmakers continue developing comprehensive legislation designed to regulate the country’s growing digital asset sector.

New rules introduce digital depositories for crypto assets

A major feature of the new framework is the creation of digital depositories, specialized institutions responsible for maintaining records of cryptocurrencies and digital rights. These entities will function similarly to traditional securities depositories while meeting additional requirements tailored to blockchain-based assets.

The Bank of Russia has established minimum equity requirements ranging from ₽50 million to ₽250 million, depending on the services each depository intends to provide. Organizations planning to support open distributed ledger networks or offer post-trade settlement services will face higher capital thresholds.

Regulators also require these institutions to maintain liquid, high-quality financial assets as part of their capital base. Similar financial standards will apply to electronic platform operators, which will facilitate digital financial asset transactions through nominal accounts.

Under the new framework, the central bank will maintain an official register of digital depositories while establishing standardized procedures for opening digital accounts, recording ownership of digital currencies and digital rights, and maintaining information on account holders and authorized users.

Russia continues expanding its crypto regulatory strategy

The regulatory overhaul arrives as Russia continues refining its approach to cryptocurrency. While digital assets remain prohibited for domestic payments, lawmakers have increasingly supported their use in international settlements and cross-border transactions.

Russia has already passed legislation allowing digital currencies to facilitate international payments, reflecting broader efforts to expand financial infrastructure beyond traditional payment systems. The latest regulatory measures further strengthen the legal foundation needed for institutional participation in digital asset markets.

President Vladimir Putin has also repeatedly highlighted Russia’s competitive position in Bitcoin mining, pointing to the country’s abundant and relatively inexpensive energy resources as a strategic advantage. He has also emphasized that decentralized technologies such as Bitcoin are difficult for governments to prohibit entirely.