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Russia’s central bank has drawn up a new regulatory blueprint for cryptocurrencies that would open the domestic market to retail investors alongside professionals, underscoring how Western sanctions have forced a rethink of the country’s once-hostile stance toward digital assets. Summary Russia’s central bank plans to let non-qualified investors buy the most liquid cryptocurrencies after passing a knowledge test, with annual purchases capped at 300,000 rubles ($3,800). Qualified investors would face no limits after completing a risk-awareness exam—excluding anonymous tokens. Crypto trading would run through licensed intermediaries, allow overseas purchases with tax reporting, and build on eased rules for businesses. According to Bloomberg News, citing the Bank of Russia, nonqualified investors would be permitted to purchase the most actively traded cryptocurrencies after passing a basic knowledge exam. Annual transactions will be capped at 300,000 rubles (around $3,800) through a single intermediary. Qualified investors, by contrast, would face no limits on purchases of most cryptocurrencies—excluding anonymous tokens—once they complete a risk-awareness test. The central bank has submitted the framework to the government, alongside proposed legislative amendments, with the goal of regulating crypto trading by July 1 next year. While enforcement details remain unclear, the plan represents another notable pivot for a regulator that once sought to stamp out digital assets entirely. In January 2022—just weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine—the Bank of Russia called for an outright ban on the issuance and use of cryptocurrencies, warning they threatened financial stability and likening them to pyramid schemes. Despite the softer tone, the watchdog stressed it remains cautious. “The Bank of Russia still considers cryptocurrencies to be high-risk assets,” it said, warning If adopted, crypto transactions would run through existing licensed channels, including exchanges, brokers and trust managers, with separate standards for custodians and trading platforms. Russian residents would also be…

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Filed under: News - @ December 24, 2025 3:18 am