President Putin has signed Russia’s first comprehensive law regulating digital currencies and digital rights. The rules cover crypto exchanges, digital storage facilities, mining, brokers, and other market players, plus how everyday investors can buy crypto.
Crypto exchanges will need to join a special registry and keep at least 15 million rubles in capital, though they get until July 1, 2027 to register. Doing two or more trades a month totaling over 3.5 million rubles counts as running an exchange. They must also join a self-regulatory group. Banks have to freeze any transfers they think involve unregistered exchanges, and crypto holders get legal protection for their holdings.
Crypto still can’t be used to buy goods or services inside Russia, and ads promoting that remain banned. Limited exceptions allow it for foreign trade deals, mined coins, certain system fees, and trades involving securities or other digital assets. Regular investors can only buy the most liquid coins through middlemen, limited to 300,000 rubles a year per middleman. Qualified investors face no limit. Both groups must pass a suitability test.
Main rules start September 1, 2026, though some parts kick in later in 2027.
