Two major Russian exchanges plan to launch compliant cryptocurrency trading in 2026.

PANews reported on December 25th that, according to Cryptopolitan, Moscow Exchange (MOEX) and St. Petersburg Exchange (SPB) have expressed their support for the comprehensive cryptocurrency regulatory plan proposed by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) and stated that they will launch cryptocurrency trading after the regulations take effect. The plan proposes to recognize Bitcoin and stablecoins as "monetary assets," with related transactions handled through existing licensed exchanges and brokers; cryptocurrency custody and trading platforms will need to meet stricter requirements. The annual purchase limit for non-qualified investors is proposed to be capped at 300,000 rubles, while there will be no limit for qualified investors, except for privacy coins. The framework is expected to take effect no later than July 1, 2026, with the current pilot program launching in March 2025. MOEX and SPB already offer cryptocurrency derivatives.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Russian central bank plans to open up cryptocurrency investment and propose new rules to differentiate investor levels .