REGULATION | Russian President Signs Russia’s First Comprehensive Crypto Law

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has signed legislation establishing Russia’s first comprehensive legal framework for cryptocurrencies with the core provisions set to take effect on Sept. 1, 2026, formalizing oversight of exchanges, brokers, and other digital asset service providers.

The law requires crypto trading to take place through entities licensed by the Bank of Russia and maintains the country’s ban on using cryptocurrencies as a means of payment for goods and services. Retail investors will be limited to buying approved digital assets through licensed intermediaries and must pass a knowledge test while qualified investors will face fewer restrictions.

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Existing market participants have until July 1, 2027, to comply with the new licensing regime.

The legislation marks Russia’s biggest overhaul of digital asset regulation since legalizing cryptocurrency mining in 2024 and allowing crypto for certain cross-border trade settlements, as Moscow increasingly turns to digital assets to facilitate international commerce while keeping domestic crypto payments prohibited.

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