Russian lawmakers are set to discuss a groundbreaking bill in the spring parliamentary session that would, for the first time, allow non-professional individual investors to legally invest in cryptocurrencies. Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the State Duma's Committee on Financial Markets, confirmed the draft legislation is ready and will receive priority treatment.
The proposed framework represents a significant policy shift for Russia, which has historically maintained a cautious stance. The bill aims to "remove cryptocurrencies from special financial regulation," integrating them into everyday economic life. However, access for retail investors will be capped: individuals not meeting Russia's "qualified-investor" criteria will be permitted to purchase up to 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,800) worth of crypto. Professional market participants will face no such limits.
This legislative push follows years of evolving policy. Russia enacted its first Digital Financial Assets law in 2020, and recent years have seen experimental crypto payment programs. The move aligns with broader global trends toward cryptocurrency integration within traditional financial systems. In December, the Bank of Russia proposed a framework requiring retail investors to pass a risk-awareness test, while continuing to ban anonymous or privacy-focused assets.
Beyond domestic trading, Aksakov expects the legislation to facilitate the international use of crypto, including for cross-border settlements and the overseas placement of Russian-issued digital assets. The Finance Ministry and the central bank have been working on a coordinated approach, emphasizing that capping retail transaction volumes is essential to reducing systemic risk.
The successful implementation of this bill could position Russia as a significant participant in global digital asset markets, stimulate domestic blockchain infrastructure, and provide citizens with alternative investment vehicles. However, it also presents technical challenges around investor verification, transaction monitoring, and platform oversight that must be addressed.
