Russia is moving its digital-asset market further into the regulated financial system. On 7 October, the Bank of Russia published updated financial-market registers dated 6 October, adding Sberbank, VTB, Voltari, Cloud Infrastructure and Atomyze to the digital depository register. A separate cryptocurrency-exchange register now includes VTB, Zefir, Sistema Crypto and T-Invest Lab.
The updates make VTB the only company listed in both registers. According to Interfax, VTB expects to open digital-currency trading through VTB My Investments in November 2026, followed by trading through its own crypto exchange in December 2026. For non-qualified investors, access will initially be limited to Bitcoin, Ether and USDT, with an annual limit of 300,000 rubles per intermediary.
The move follows Russia’s broader crypto rulebook. President Vladimir Putin signed a law in August covering crypto trading, exchanges, brokers, custodians and other market participants; it took effect in September. The Bank of Russia now has significantly more authority over the industry, although domestic cryptocurrency payments for goods and services remain prohibited.
These developments fit into a wider global regulatory push. The U.S. CFTC has recently proposed rules for regulated crypto markets, and major economies are building different frameworks for digital assets. With major Russian banks entering regulated infrastructure, market watchers see the shift as another step toward institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets.
Broader market commentary around Russia’s framework has highlighted themes such as institutional settlement, high-speed trading chains, cross-chain infrastructure, tokenization and intellectual property. However, the immediate retail trading access confirmed by VTB is concentrated on Bitcoin, Ether and USDT.
