Russia moves to allow ordinary citizens to invest in crypto under new rules
Financial authorities in Russia are ready to allow ordinary citizens to invest in cryptocurrencies legally, as indicated by the head of one of the key regulators in Moscow.
While this is unlikely to happen without some limitations, which are currently under consideration, it is now perfectly “possible,” according to the high-ranking government official.
Russia to admit non-qualified investors to the crypto market
The Ministry of Finance (Minfin) and the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) intend to allow non-qualified investors into the crypto market under certain conditions.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov made that clear during an interview, quoted by the official news agency TASS on other Russian media on Tuesday. Speaking to the Rossiya-24 TV channel, he elaborated:
The exact parameters of the discussed restrictive measures are being worked out right now with the monetary authority, the minister noted.
Siluanov’s comments confirmed his department’s support for the new Russian crypto policy, unveiled recently by the Bank of Russia, which calls for the adoption of a comprehensive legislative framework by next summer.
An excerpt from the regulatory concept, published on the CBR’s website last Tuesday, showed that non-qualified investors will be able to purchase the most liquid crypto assets.
Also quoted by the business news agency Prime, the Russian minister remarked that cryptocurrency is currently used by both individuals and companies primarily for payments.
Russian access to traditional financial channels and cross-border payments has been severely limited by Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, the Central Bank of Russia proposed a special “experimental legal regime” to allow Russian firms to use coins in foreign trade. The same arrangement gave a small group of “highly qualified” investors access to decentralized digital assets.
Russian government still wary of crypto investments
Anton Siluanov is convinced, however, that considering cryptocurrencies as an instrument for investment and saving is hardly advisable, as they are highly volatile, which is why Russian regulators developed the new crypto concept.
He pointed out that the central bank and the government, represented by the Minfin, have already reached “a rough understanding of how to proceed … in terms of regulating this process,” adding:
The future framework, drafted together with the CBR, should determine what is permitted and what is not, as well as who can participate in this market, Siluanov insisted.
The proposals announced by the Bank of Russia have already been filed for government review, and the authority indicated it expects them to be passed by the Russian parliament by July 1, 2026.
Another set of provisions, amending the country’s criminal code and other relevant laws in order to introduce criminal liability for illegal provision of crypto services, should be adopted by the same date of 2027.
Besides expanding investor access, a key element of Moscow’s new strategy is the plan to recognize cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as “currency assets” and regulate crypto exchange through existing and new infrastructure.
The year 2025 brought significant changes in Russia’s attitude towards cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, as reported by Cryptopolitan. In the past 12 months, Russian regulators started gradually moving away from their previous overly conservative stance on the matter.
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