Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the long-awaited “On Digital Currency and Digital Rights” bill into law, legalizing cryptocurrency transactions in Russia starting September 1, 2026. The comprehensive 300-page framework, passed by parliament in July, will permit investment and trading of digital assets while explicitly banning their use for payments.
The law mandates that all crypto trading occur exclusively on platforms licensed by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). Licensed custodians, called digital depositories, must meet strict capital requirements (up to 250 million rubles) and maintain full transaction records to detect suspicious activity. Banks and brokers will act as intermediaries, and banks are authorized to block any crypto-related transactions, with a 48-hour cooling-off period for transfers between wallets and fiat accounts.
For the first time, ordinary Russians will be allowed to legally acquire and hold cryptocurrencies, but only as investment instruments. Non-qualified investors face a yearly purchase limit of 300,000 rubles (~$4,000) through a single intermediary and must pass a risk-awareness test. The law restricts circulation to the largest, most liquid coins; CBR Deputy Governor Vladimir Chistyukhin previously indicated Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Tether’s USDT currently meet the criteria. Self-hosted wallets are permitted only for foreign economic activities to bypass sanctions.
A recent survey showed nearly 70% of Russians see no significant use case for crypto despite legalization. The legislation supplements existing digital financial asset laws and additional CBR directives on exchange, storage, and margin trading are already published to refine the regime.
